Destiny: The Beginning
by CaseyBear1987
Summary: After losing their parents to the corruption of the Dark Kingdom, young Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite and Kunzite vow to stay together, and to never let the same fate befall them.
1. Prologue- Dream

Destiny

Prologue

"It's over. You're safe now." A soft, gentle voice cut through the silence like a knife. A small blond haired boy crawled out from beneath a pile of demolished wood, brushing the dust from his clothes as he stood up. He looked all around him, finding that there was no one anywhere nearby. The place he once called home was now reduced to a barren wasteland. Not a sound could be heard, and not a soul was in sight.

"Who's there?" He called out, trying to see if he could spot anyone.

"My name is Helios" the voice responded. "I am the guardian of this place." The boy looked around him once more, confused.

"Where are you?" he inquired. "Why can't I see you?"

"You're quite inquisitive, young Jadeite" the voice said.

"How do you know my name?" he asked, gasping in surprise.

"I know everything about this place" Helios said, offering no further explanation on the matter. Jadeite wandered around curiously, turning to look at the place where his home once stood.

"There's no one else here" he said quietly. " Helios, do you know what happened to my parents?"

"Yes, I do. I can tell you, but I can't promise you'll like what you hear" Helios cautioned.

"I want to know" Jadeite responded, his voice quivering.

"As you know," Helios began. "This place was overrun by an unstoppable evil force. In order to escape death, many turned their allegiance to that evil, and because of it, they left."

"What are you trying to tell me, Helios?" Jadeite asked. A man suddenly appeared before Jadeite's eyes. He had white hair that looked similar to Jadeite's, and there as a golden horn protruding from his forehead. The man stepped forward so he was standing directly in front of Jadeite, then he spoke once more.

"Jadeite, every person born into this world had the power to control their destiny. Most of them will choose goodness and righteousness, but there are also those who feed off their own greed and selfishness. Your parents…" Helios paused for a moment as he reached out to take Jadeite's hand. "Your parents gave up this life, and abandoned, to escape death." Tears filled Jadeite's eyes as he looked up at Helios.

"I don't understand" he said quietly. "How could they do this to me?" Helios shook his head in response.

"I'm afraid I can't explain that" Helios said sadly. "You may never understand why they did this, but there is one thing you can do."

"What is it?" Jadeite asked, wiping the tears from his cheeks.

"Promise yourself that you will never let greed and selfishness take you over" Helios said. "Can you do that?" Jadeite nodded in response.

"I think so."

"I must warn you, it won't be easy" Helios cautioned. "You must always be on your guard, and be aware of what's right and what's not." Jadeite nodded again, listening as Helios continued to speak.

"There are three other boys here who are also alone. You must find them, and the four of you must always stay together. Their names are Nephrite, Zoisite and Kunzite. You were all born with the same destiny, and together you will find it." As Helios said this, be began to fade from sight.

"But, Helios, how will I find them?" Jadeite asked.

"Have faith in yourself, young Jadeite" Helios said as he faded away. In just a matter of seconds, Jadeite was alone again. A light breeze rustled through the trees, and when it subsided, Jadeite heard a noise in the distance. Curious as to what it was, he followed the sound and soon found the source. A young boy around Jadeite's age was sitting on the ground, surrounded by the same devastation Jadeite had been. His face was stained with dirt and tears, and as Jadeite came closer, he could hear that the boy was still crying.

"Are you okay?" Jadeite asked quietly, trying not to startle him. The boy looked up at him, then quickly looked away. Jadeite sat down next to him, staying silent for a few moments. Finally, he spoke again.

"I know what you're going through. I lost my parents too" he said softly. The boy sniffled and turned his head to look at Jadeite.

"How did you know that?" the boy asked, amazed.

"I don't know. I could just sense it" Jadeite replied. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and instantly felt an overwhelming power. The other boy felt it too, and looked at Jadeite, confused.

"What was that?" he asked, his eyes wide.

"I don't know" Jadeite answered. Suddenly, he heard Helios' voice in his head. Jadeite recalled Helios telling him to find three other boys…could this be one of them? The two boys sat in silence for a moment, then the other one spoke. He brushed a lock of wavy brown hair out of his face and extended his hand to Jadeite.

"I'm Nephrite" the boy introduced himself. Jadeite took his hand and smiled.

"My name is Jadeite" he said softly. "I'm glad I found you, Nephrite." Nephrite looked at Jadeite, puzzled.

"You were looking for me?"

"Yes" Jadeite nodded, then proceeded to explain what Helios had told him.

"Wow" Nephrite murmured after Jadeite finished the story. "What do you think our destiny is?" Jadeite shrugged, then stood up and extended his hand to Nephrite to help him up.

"There's only one way to find out" he said with a smile. The sun was setting, so the two boys decided to set out on their adventure the following day. They found temporary shelter in an abandoned home, and after dragging the two beds into the same room so they could stay together, they settled in and soon fell asleep.

The next morning, Jadeite was the first to wake up, and he quietly crept out of the room so he wouldn't wake Nephrite. He walked into the small kitchen area and began to search for food, only finding bits of stale bread and a few slightly bruised apples. Sighing, he brought them back to the bedroom, where he found Nephrite awake.

"Hey, good morning!" he greeted Nephrite cheerfully. "I tried to find some food, but there wasn't much. I did find these though" he said, handing Nephrite the slightly less bruised apple.

"Thanks" Nephrite said, taking the apple and grinning shyly. The two sat in silence for a while, munching happily on the fruit. After a while, Jadeite spoke.

"I wonder what Zoisite and Kunzite are like…" he mused.

"Yeah, me too. I'm kind of scared to meet them" Nephrite said with a nervous giggle.

"I am too, but I'm sure it'll be fine" Jadeite said with a wink. "I was scared to meet you, but you're not that scary." Nephrite chuckled and turned his body so he was facing Jadeite.

"You're not either" he said with a laugh. The two finished their breakfast then decided to set out to find the other two. When they stepped outside, the eerie silence that greeted them sent shivers down their spines.

"This is so weird" Jadeite said quietly to himself as the two walked through the remains of the village.

"Yeah, it is" Nephrite agreed. "But at least we're not alone, right?"

"Right" Jadeite said with a nod.

After the two had been walking for what seemed like hours, they were starting to get hungry again. Luckily, they saw what appeared to be another village just ahead. They began to walk faster and soon arrived, finding a familiar scene before them. They decided to search the first house they could find for food. When they stepped up and tried the door, they were surprised to find that it was locked.

"That's weird" Jadeite muttered, trying the door again and pushing his weight against the door, with no success once again.

"Try the window" Nephrite suggested. Jadeite picked up a rock and slammed it against the window, shattering the glass.

"Help me up" Jadeite instructed. Nephrite hoisted him up and he carefully climbed in the window, going over to the door and opening it for Nephrite. He walked inside and shut the door behind him, then began to help Jadeite search for food. After a few minutes, they heard a noise in the next room.

"What was that?" Nephrite whispered.

"I don't know" Jadeite whispered back, creeping toward the entrance of the other room. "I'll check it out, wait here." He crept into the room and didn't immediately see anyone, but he continued searching. After a few minutes, he heard someone whimpering quietly.

"Hello?" he said, raising his voice slightly above a whisper. "Is someone in here?" There was no answer, so after a minute he tried again. "We're not going to hurt you, I promise." After a few moments, a young boy crawled out from underneath the bed. By this time, Nephrite was also in the room.

"Who are you?" the boy asked, his voice shaking.

"You don't have to be afraid, we're not going to hurt you. I'm Nephrite" Nephrite said with a smile. "And this is Jadeite."

"What are you guys doing here? I've never seen you before" the boy asked, curious.

"It's kind of a long story" Jadeite explained.

"That's okay, I've got time" the other boy said, chuckling slightly. "Do you guys want something to eat? There isn't much, but I can give you what I have." He walked into the kitchen and soon returned with a plate of bread and different fruits. "I'm Zoisite, by the way" he said as he set the plate on the table. He reached out to shake Jadeite's hand, then Nephrite's and the three of them looked at one another in amazement as they all felt the same energy that Jadeite and Nephrite felt when they first met. Zoisite almost said something, but shrugged it off. "Here, help yourselves" he said, smiling.

"Thanks" Jadeite said, smiling shyly as he reached toward the plate. "Do you live by yourself?" The boy shook his head, looking down at the floor.

"My parents are gone, but I'm not alone" he explained, turning to walk into the other room. He returned a moment later, followed by another boy. He glanced briefly at Jadeite and Nephrite, then quickly broke eye contact.

"It's okay," Zoisite whispered. "They're not going to hurt us." The fourth boy finally overcame his shyness enough to make eye contact again, smiling shyly. Jadeite looked at him, wondering…could this be…?

"Just out of curiosity" Jadeite began. "Is your name Kunzite?"

"How did you know that?" Kunzite asked, surprised. Jadeite shrugged, scraping the floor with his foot.

"I had a feeling." Jadeite said with a smile, extending his hand to Kunzite. Kunzite took it, but quickly jerked his hand back. Jadeite looked at him, worried. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Y-Yeah" Kunzite said, looking down at Jadeite's hand, then his own. The four boys sat in silence for a while, then decided to go out and explore. They walked around the small village, eventually coming to a lake. It was fairly large, and on the other side, they could see the palace. They stared at it in awe, each of them wondering what it would be like to live there. Just as they turned to go back to the village, Jadeite had a thought.

"We should go over there" he said suddenly. The other three looked at him, confused.

"But it's the palace…we can't just hang around there" Nephrite said.

"Just trust me" Jadeite said, walking around the edge of the lake to get to the other side. The other three followed, and once they reached the other side of the lake, they became apprehensive once more.

"I'm not so sure about this" Zoisite said nervously. "Do you think we should turn back?" Jadeite ignored his hesitance and kept walking, stopping suddenly when he saw someone up ahead. He looked closer and noticed a boy around their ages, sitting under a tree reading a book. He boldly moved forward, trying to stay as quiet as he could. While walking, he stepped on a stick, causing it to break in half. The noise cut through the quiet day, causing the boy to look up from his book. Jadeite froze, and thought about turning to run, but before he could, the boy called out.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Nervously, Jadeite and the others stepped forward. The boy set his book down in the grass and stood up. They could see clearly now that he was royalty, and they grew nervous. As he came closer, the angry expression on his face softened.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"We…we were just exploring. I'm sorry if we were trespassing" Jadeite explained, his voice shaking. The other boy smiled at the four of them.

"You don't have to be afraid. I've been expecting you."

"You have?" the four boys asked in unison. The other boy nodded.

"Yes. I'm Prince Endymion."

Jadeite sat up in his bed, finding that he was at home, sitting up in his bed.

"That was such a weird dream" he murmured, then laid back down to go back to sleep.


	2. Patience and Harmony

-Part One: Jadeite-

Chapter One- Patience and Harmony

It was a calm, quiet day. As a light breeze rustled through the trees, the only other sound that could be heard was the cry of a newborn baby. The new mother smiled down at her child as she wrapped him snugly into a blanket, then cradled him into her chest. She brushed a strand of blond hair from her face and looked over at her husband, who hadn't spoken for several minutes.

"Is everything alright?" she asked. He sighed, then managed a small smile.

"Yes" he finally said, standing up and walking over to where his wife and new son were. "I couldn't be better. Can I hold him?" The woman nodded and carefully handed the baby to him.

"He looks so tiny in your arms" she giggled, watching the two of them.

"Yes, he does. But someday, he's going to grow up and be—"he was cut off by his wife, who giggled before finishing his sentence.

"Strong and brave, just like you" she said softly.

"That's right" he agreed, smiling down at the tiny baby. A moment later, the mother's midwife entered the room, followed by a young man the parents didn't recognize at first. After a moment, the mother gasped.

"You're…" The man nodded, stepping forward.

"Yes. I am Helios, ruler of the kingdom of Elysion."

"What brings you here?" the father asked, confused.

"I have come to congratulate you on the birth of your son, and to tell you of his purpose."

"His purpose?" the parents asked. Helios nodded, then continued explaining.

"Your son will one day serve as one of the four guardians of the future Prince Endymion."

"How is this possible?" the father asked. Helios evaded his question. A short moment later, a small green stone appeared in Helios' hand. He presented it to the mother, and proceeded to explain what it was.

"This is the Jadeite stone. It symbolizes patience and harmony, which are also the meanings of your names, respectively."

"I know what we have to do" the mother said, gazing down at the stone, and then looking at her newborn son. She then looked at her husband and spoke once more. "His name has to be Jadeite." Helios smiled softly, nodding in agreement.

"That's exactly right." The father sat in silence, a confused look on his face. Finally, he was able to speak.

"Our son is named after a stone?" he scoffed.

"I know it seems strange, but one day you will understand. Phoebe and Frederick, I wish you all the best." Helios stepped forward and softly kissed the baby's forehead. "Jadeite, I will see you again." Helios then stepped back and bid them farewell once more, before vanishing completely. Phoebe and Frederick sat in silence, gazing down at Jadeite for several moments, before one of them finally spoke.

"Our son is going to serve a prince? How can this be?" Frederick murmured as he looked at their surroundings. They weren't exactly rich. Their tiny cottage had barely enough space to accommodate the two of them, and now they had a third person to worry about.

"Don't worry" Phoebe assured him, placing her hand over his. "Everything is going to be fine." As much as Frederick wanted to believe her, something inside him still felt unsure.

-Three years later-

"Mama?" Jadeite called out, running through the small house.

"I'm out here" Phoebe replied, poking her head in the door. Jadeite ran out and sat on the step next to her, laying his head in her lap. She stroked his hair softly as she gazed up at the sky.

"What are you looking at?" Jadeite wondered. Phoebe looked down at him and smiled.

"I'm just looking at the stars" she sighed. Jadeite sat up and looked up at the sky, pointing excitedly.

"Look! It's the Big Dipper!" he said, looking up at Phoebe and grinning.

"That's right" she said softly. "And there's Aries, and Leo…" Phoebe continued, pointing at each one.

"What's that red star?" Jadeite asked.

"That's Mars" Phoebe told him. "You know, there's a legend that a beautiful princess with magical fire powers lives there" she said with a soft smile. Jadeite wrinkled his nose and looked up at her.

"Do you think that's true?" he asked.

"I don't know" Phoebe chuckled. "But, what I do know is, I love you" she said, gathering Jadeite into her arms and holding him close.

"I love you too" he replied, sighing contentedly. After a moment of silence, he looked up at her and spoke again. "Mama? Is daddy ever going to come back?" A single tear rolled down Phoebe's cheek and she wiped it away, looking down at Jadeite and trying to smile.

"I don't know. I can't promise that he will, but it doesn't matter. You have me, and nothing will ever change that" she said, kissing the top of his head.

Shortly after Helios had told Phoebe and Frederick what their son's destiny was, Frederick's whole demeanor changed. He became cold, distant and one morning, just before Jadeite's first birthday, Phoebe awoke to find that Frederick was gone. Phoebe held on to the hope that one day he would come back, but it soon became clear that that wasn't the case. Through it all, Phoebe kept calm and vowed to raise her son to be more of a man than Frederick ever was.

After looking at the stars a while longer, Jadeite fell asleep in Phoebe's arms. She carried him inside and tucked him into bed, kissing him on the forehead before she left the room.

"Good night" she whispered, then turned to walk out of the bedroom. She went into her bedroom and changed into her nightgown, then climbed into bed. She laid there in the stillness, staring at the ceiling and thinking about what she and Jadeite had been through.

"Please…" she whispered into the nothingness. "Please don't let my sweet boy grow up to be like Frederick." A single tear rolled down her cheek, and its wetness was the last thing she remembered before she drifted off to sleep.


	3. Premonition

Premonition

 _The once beautiful land of Elysion was shrouded in darkness. The only sounds that could be heard were the agonized screams from its citizens as they took their final breaths. Inside a small cottage, a young boy quivered in fear in his mother's arms as he watched the terror unfold before his eyes. Suddenly, he could hear someone pounding on the door, trying to get inside._

 _"_ _Go hide, Jadeite. Quickly!" his mother ordered. He scrambled off her lap and scurried into the bedroom, hiding under the bed. His body shook in terror as he watched what happened next. The woman then rose and walked to the door, opening it. Her eyes darkened once she saw who was there._

 _"_ _What do you want?" she asked, her voice cold and emotionless. The man standing in the doorway raised his sword._

 _"_ _Surrender to Metalia or die!"_

 _"_ _NO!" Jadeite screamed, bolting out from under the bed._

"No…NO!" Jadeite sat up, realizing that he was safe in his bed. He exhaled shakily and looked around the room. A moment later, Phoebe appeared in the doorway. Jadeite turned his head and looked at her, his eyes filled with tears. Without a word, Phoebe walked over and sat on the bed next to him, and began gently rubbing small circles into his back.

"Mama, I had a bad dream" he sniffled, wiping the tears from his cheeks.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Phoebe asked. Jadeite nodded.

"I think something bad is going to happen." Phoebe looked at him, her eyes filled with confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone was fighting, and saying bad things" he explained, in the best way that a seven year old could. "There was a man at our house, and he was going to hurt you…" Jadeite sobbed, thrusting his tiny body into Phoebe's arms. She stroked his hair and did her best to comfort him, to assure him that everything would be okay.

"It was just a bad dream" she said soothingly. "We're safe, I promise. Nothing bad will ever happen to us" she said with a smile. In the years that had passed since Frederick left, Phoebe raised Jadeite on her own, becoming more proud of him with each passing day. At only seven years old, he was already more of a man than his father ever was. Once he calmed down, Phoebe tucked him back in and kissed his forehead.

"Try to go back to sleep" she said calmly. Jadeite nodded.

"I think I'll be okay now, mama."

"That's my brave boy" she said with a smile. "Good night."

"Good night, Mama." Jadeite watched as Phoebe left the room, and once she was out of sight he rolled over on his side to look out the window at the stars. He smiled to himself and was about to drift off to sleep, when something caught his eye. A golden star twinkled in the sky and Jadeite watched as it floated down from its place and came into the window, stopping in front of Jadeite. Jadeite's eyes widened as the star began to speak.

"Greetings, young one."

"Y-You can talk?" Jadeite stuttered. "W-Who are you?"

"There's no need to be afraid, Jadeite."

"How do you know my name?" Jadeite asked, slightly less afraid.

"Your name is your destiny." Jadeite wrinkled his nose in confusion. Before he could ask what that meant, the star continued speaking. "My name is Helios. I am the guardian of Elysion. I have known you since you were born, and I've been watching you." Jadeite nodded, though he was still confused.

"What do you mean, 'my name is my destiny?'" Jadeite asked.

"When I came to see you, I gave your mother a Jadeite stone. Jadeite symbolizes patience and harmony, which are two very important traits that not everyone possesses. However, you do, young one. You will use these things later in life. I cannot explain everything to you right now, but you will know soon enough." As the star began to fade away, Jadeite cried out.

"Helios, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, but I may not have the answer" Helios replied.

"Do you know where my father is?" The star began to change form, and suddenly Helios' true form was standing before Jadeite. He stepped forward and placed his hand on Jadeite's, his face filled with sorrow.

"You already know" he said simply, offering no further explanation. With that, he began to fade from sight. Jadeite watched him disappear, and once he was alone again he laid down and stared up at the ceiling, pondering what he had been told. Finally, he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep with no further interruptions.

The next morning, Jadeite woke up thinking nothing of the nightmare he had the night before. He walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, where he found Phoebe cutting up strawberries.

"Good morning mama" Jadeite greeted her cheerfully. She looked up from her task and smiled.

"Good morning, Jadeite. How did you sleep?"

"Pretty good" he said, grinning. "How about you?"

"I slept fine" she said softly as she continued cutting up the berries. Once there were enough, she divided them onto two plates, along with various other fruits and slices of fluffy white cake. She set them on the table and sat down, with Jadeite following closely behind. He climbed into his chair and glanced over at the third chair, which had been empty for so long he wondered why it was still there. Brushing the thought away, he began to silently pick at the berries on his plate. The two of them ate in silence, until Jadeite suddenly had a thought.

"Mama, do you know who Helios is?" Phoebe stopped eating for a moment and looked at Jadeite.

"Yes, I've heard of him" she said finally. "He's the guardian of Elysion. Do you know what else?" Phoebe asked. Jadeite's eyes lit up with curiosity.

"What?" he asked, excited.

"It's been said that he can change himself into a Pegasus" Phoebe said, smiling as Jadeite's eyes grew wider.

"A flying horse? Really? Wow!" he exclaimed. The two then continued their conversation as they finished eating. Once they were done, Jadeite turned to Phoebe. "I'm going to go play outside, mama."

"Okay" Phoebe chuckled. "Be safe, and stay where I can see you" she instructed.

"I will!" Jadeite called to her as he bounced out the door. Phoebe watched him from the window, overwhelmed with feelings of happiness. Outside, Jadeite giggled to himself as he climbed trees, watched the ants and other bugs crawl through the dirt, and chased butterflies. A white one with blue spots fluttered past him, and he called out to it as he chased after it.

"Hey, come back!" he called out, chasing the butterfly into the trees. He slowed his pace to a walk, looking every which way to try to find where the butterfly went. After walking for some time, he came across a stream. The water sparkled in the sunlight and flowed gently over the rocks. On the other side, Jadeite could see what appeared to be a horse drinking from the stream. He crept as quietly as he could so as not to scare it, accidentally stepping on a twig. The horse looked up and saw him, but did not run. Jadeite sucked in a sharp breath and carefully began to approach the horse, and as he came closer, he noticed a magnificent golden horn on the horse's head.

"Pegasus?" Jadeite murmured, never breaking his gaze upon the creature. The horse nodded.

"Hello, young one" he said. Jadeite took a step back.

"Helios?" he asked. "Is that you?" The horse nodded again.

"Yes, it is."

"You mean, you're real? I thought I was dreaming!" Jadeite exclaimed, amazed.

"I am very real. This is my home. No one knows about this place, except for you." The horse then began to change form, turning into the human that Jadeite had seen the night before. He walked over to Jadeite and sat down in the grass, motioning for Jadeite to do the same. He sat, and the two began to talk as though they were old friends. After quite a while, Jadeite could hear Phoebe calling for him.

"I should go" he said, standing up. "I don't want my mama to worry about me." Helios nodded and stood up, turning to face Jadeite.

"I hope you will come back to visit me soon. Just know that if you ever need me, I am always here." Jadeite nodded, then turned to leave. Before he exited the trees, he turned to wave goodbye to his friend, his guardian.

"Bye Helios!" he called out. Helios waved back, then brushed a lock of silver hair from his eyes as he watched the young boy fade into the distance.


	4. When the Cherry Blossoms fall

**A/N: I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! Sorry for the delay in updating, but now that the holidays are over, I can get back to it on a more regular basis. Thanks for sticking with me, and as always, enjoy! Reviews are welcomed and appreciated!**

When the cherry blossoms fall

Time was moving rapidly. The seasons melted into one another, and soon, the brisk chill of fall started to become winter. Even Helios' secret haven could not escape the cold. He sat by the now frozen stream, stoic and silent. In his lap laid Jadeite, who was sleeping peacefully. The winter breeze blew a snowflake onto Jadeite's cheek and he shivered, moving in closer to Helios. Helios gently wiped the snow from the boy's face, still not saying a word. After some time passed, Jadeite stirred. He slowly opened his eyes and yawned, staying nestled in the warmth of his friend's embrace.

"Helios?" he said quietly, trying not to startle him. Helios looked down at Jadeite, his horn glistening in the single ray of sunlight that had broken through the clouds.

"You're awake" he said gently, smiling. Jadeite sat up and stretched his arms, another small yawn escaping him.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep" he said shyly. "I haven't been sleeping well lately."

"Is something bothering you?" Helios asked. Jadeite tilted his head to the side, his eyes filled with uncertainty.

"I'm not sure" he murmured, staring blankly at the shimmering icy stream. He suddenly looked up into Helios' eyes as he spoke again. "Helios, can you help me figure something out?" Helios looked at him and smiled, nodding slightly.

"I know what you're going to ask me" he said. "You've been having a nightmare, haven't you?" Jadeite nodded.

"Yes. It keeps coming back, so I think it means something. I just don't know what…" he said, his voice trailing off. Helios looked at him, and the warmth in his eyes assured Jadeite that everything would be alright.

"I can sense that you were born with the ability to see the future, so what you are dreaming may very well come to pass." Jadeite's eyes widened when Helios told him this, and his breathing quickened.

"No!" Jadeite cried, tears rolling down his cheeks. "If that happens, my mama will—"Helios wiped the tears away and held Jadeite close, stroking his hair until he calmed down. A quivering breath escaped Jadeite's lips as he looked up at Helios. "What am I going to do?" Helios placed Jadeite on the ground and rose to his feet, gently placing his hands on the young boy's shoulders.

"Try not to let it upset you. I know it's hard, but I believe in you." They could hear Phoebe calling for Jadeite, and as he turned to leave, Helios stopped him. Jadeite turned around and looked up into Helios' glistening blue eyes.

"Remember, young one; the mind will often play tricks on you, but your heart will always know the truth. If you are ever in doubt about anything, listen to what your heart tells you." Jadeite nodded in response.

"I will, I promise" he said with a nod. "He turned to leave, but as he reached the edge of the forest, he turned and darted back to Helios, wrapping his small arms around him.

"Thank you, Helios" he said, the sound of his voice muffled by Helios' white cloak. Helios returned the embrace and closed his eyes contentedly.

"You're most welcome, Jadeite. I look forward to seeing you again soon." Jadeite turned and walked out of the forest, and he could hear Phoebe calling him again, her voice carried by the blowing winter winds. Jadeite hurried back to the house, where he saw Phoebe standing in the doorway, a worried expression on her face.

"Where were you? I was so worried!" she cried, scooping Jadeite into her arms. He paused for a moment, then spoke.

"I was just playing outside" he said as convincingly as he could. In the months he had known Helios, he had kept his whereabouts a secret, just as he promised Helios he would. His mind briefly flashed back to that moment.

 _"_ _Jadeite, you must promise that you will never tell anyone where I am."_

 _"_ _Why?" Jadeite asked, looking at Helios curiously._

 _"_ _There are some very bad people looking for me" he explained. "If they find me, Elysion will cease to exist."_

 _"_ _Who are they? Why do they want to find you?" Jadeite asked. The golden horn on his head glistened as Helios explained._

 _"_ _I possess a very important, precious crystal. It is called the Golden Crystal. It's power exceeds all others, and if it falls into the wrong hands, the world as we know it will perish." Jadeite's eyes widened as Helios explained this to him, then they glistened with an intensity Helios had never seen before._

 _"_ _I'll never tell" Jadeite said. "I promise."_

"Jadeite?" Phoebe asked, bringing him back to reality. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah" Jadeite said with a smile. "I'm sorry I worried you, mama. I won't do it again" he said softly. Phoebe smiled down at him and pulled him close.

"Good. Now, let's get inside before we freeze" she said, ushering Jadeite into the house and following behind him. The wind picked up instantly afterward, and Phoebe and Jadeite watched the snowflakes dance in the wind while snuggling next to a roaring fire.

"I can't wait until spring comes back" Phoebe sighed. Jadeite looked up at her, smiling.

"Why's that?" he asked.

"Because, in the spring, the cherry blossoms bloom" she explained. "When I was pregnant with you, I used to sneak out of the house just to go look at them." Jadeite looked up at Phoebe, listening intently as she spoke.

"They are pretty" he murmured. "Do you think when they come back, we can go look at them together?" he asked. Phoebe smiled, and it was the first time in a long time that Jadeite could tell it was genuine.

"I would love that" she said softly, pulling him closer and kissing the top of his head. "Thank you."

"For what, mama?"

"For making me feel better. You've always been the only one who could" Phoebe said as tears began to well up in her eyes. One escaped and slid down her cheek, and Jadeite reached up to wipe it away.

"What's the matter, mama?" he asked. Phoebe was now sobbing uncontrollably, and there was nothing Jadeite could do but hold onto her. He wrapped his arms around her and nestled his head into her chest and she held him tighter. Once she calmed down, she was finally able to speak again.

"I'm sorry" she whispered. "I've been holding that in for so long, trying to be strong for you…"

"It's okay, mama" Jadeite assured her, smiling. "You can't be strong all the time." Phoebe smiled through her tears and sniffled, resting her chin on the top of Jadeite's head.

"I know" she said softly. The two of them sat silent, watching the flames flicker in the stone fireplace. Phoebe began to think of the last conversation she had with Frederick before he disappeared.

 _"_ _What's the matter with you?"_

 _"_ _Nothing" Frederick replied, his voice quiet but gruff._

 _"_ _There's something wrong" she insisted. "You're never this distant." Frederick sighed and sat up in his chair, his eyes fixed on the sleeping baby cradled in Phoebe's arms._

 _"_ _Fine. You want to know what's wrong?" Frederick asked coldly. "I'l tell you. All my life, I've dreamt of being deemed worthy enough to serve royalty" Frederick paused for a moment and took a step toward Phoebe and Jadeite before continuing. "And HE just gets it handed to him" Frederick hissed. Phoebe glared at him, holding the baby closer to her and taking a step back._

 _"_ _Don't you dare blame him for this" she fired back. "It's not like he chose this!"_

 _"_ _You're right" Frederick agreed, his voice still stained with anger. "It's Helios. He's the one to blame. I'll get him someday…"_

Phoebe shuddered as the memory exited her mind.

"Are you okay, mama?" Jadeite asked, worry filling his eyes. Phoebe looked down at him and smiled, though she felt like her heart was going to rip in half.

"Yes, I'm alright now" she said. Jadeite could sense something was still wrong, but decided not to let it bother him, just as Helios advised. The two of them were enveloped in silence once more, and after some time had passed, a yawn escaped Jadeite's mouth.

"I think someone's ready for bed" Phoebe giggled. The two of them got up and walked into Jadeite's bedroom so Phoebe could tuck him in for the night. Once he was situated, she leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead.

"Goodnight, sweetheart" she said softly.

"Goodnight, mama." Jadeite nestled his head further into his pillow and closed his eyes, soon drifting off into a peaceful sleep. Outside the window, Helios was peering in, watching him as he slept.

"Sweet dreams, young one" he whispered as he faded into the darkness.


	5. Warning Signs

Warning Signs

It was springtime in Elysion once again. As the sun's warmth lit up the landscape, a light breeze rustled through the trees. Jadeite hummed happily to himself as he got ready for the day, then walked out of his bedroom into the sitting area, where Phoebe was waiting. She gazed out the window, a small smile appearing on her lips. When she heard Jadeite step into the room, she turned and smiled at him.

"Good morning" she said softly. "Are you ready to go?" Jadeite nodded, and the two of them walked out the door. Phoebe was taking Jadeite to see the cherry blossoms, just as she promised she would.

When they arrived at the trees, Jadeite's eyes lit up with excitement. "They're so pretty!" he exclaimed, watching as a few soft pink petals fluttered to the ground. Phoebe sat down in the grass among the trees, and Jadeite followed. They sat in silence for a while, taking in the scenery. After some time passed, Jadeite looked up at Phoebe, who had a puzzled look on her face.

"What are you thinking about, mama?" he asked. She looked down at him and smiled slightly, shaking her head.

"Oh, nothing" he said softly. "I'm just enjoying our time together." Her voice had a hint of sadness in it, as though she was saying this would be their last moment together. Jadeite turned back around and looked up at the trees again, leaning into Phoebe's chest. The movement of her breathing calmed him so much that he soon fell asleep. She cuddled him close and closed her eyes, sighing contentedly. After a moment, she felt as though someone was watching them. She turned around carefully so as not to disturb Jadeite, and furrowed her brow in confusion.

"That's funny," she muttered. "I could have sworn someone was there." Brushing the thought away, she looked down at the sleeping child in her lap and watched him sleep, carefully picking the fallen cherry blossom petals off of his face. After a while, Jadeite's eyes fluttered open. He sat up in Phoebe's lap and stretched, looking around in a slight panic.

"Where am I?" he murmured, looking around. Phoebe giggled and kissed the top of his head.

"Don't you remember? I brought you to see the cherry blossoms" she said softly, smiling. Jadeite looked up at her, his eyes sparkling as they reflected the sunlight. After a brief silence, the child spoke.

"I'm glad you're smiling, mama. I was worried about you" he said sadly, looking down at the grass. Phoebe gently placed a hand under his chin and lifted his head as a content sigh escaped her.

"When you're with me, I can't help but smile" Phoebe said, her blue eyes glimmering with hope.

"Do you think we'll always be happy?" Jadeite asked as he laid his head on her shoulder.

"I hope so" she murmured. Suddenly, she felt yet another strange presence and turned, noticing a glowing white figure standing slightly behind them. She blinked her eyes and in a flash, the figure disappeared from sight.

 _"_ _Am I seeing things?"_ she thought to herself as she continued to stare at the spot where the mysterious figure had stood.

"Mama? Are you okay?" Jadeite asked, sounding worried.

"Yes, I just thought I saw something" she replied, her voice trailing off as she spoke. She turned her gaze from the spot and sighed. _"I know I saw something. What was that?"_ she asked herself. Though she and Jadeite enjoyed the rest of their day together, Phoebe was still puzzled by what she had seen.

As the sun began to set, Phoebe and Jadeite left the patch of cherry trees and headed home before the sun was gone completely. When they arrived home, Phoebe noticed a man standing in front of their house. As they came closer, her breath caught in her chest. The man turned and when he saw them, he began to walk toward them. When Jadeite saw who it was, he grinned happily. Helios had come to visit. Jadeite was about to greet him, but paused, remembering the warning Helios had given him on that chilly winter day.

 _"_ _No one can know that you know me" Helios cautioned him. "If they do, my life, and yours, will be in danger."_

 _"_ _I'll never tell. I promise."_

"Jadeite" Phoebe said suddenly, snapping the boy back to reality. "I'd like you to meet someone. This is Helios, the guardian of Elysion." Jadeite stepped forward and bowed his head politely.

"It's nice to meet you" he said. Inside, the young boy's heart was bursting with happiness.

"You as well, young one" Helios replied, closing his eyes contentedly. When he opened them again, the sparkle that once filled them was replaced with an intensity Jadeite had not seen.

"I need to speak with you, Phoebe." The urgency in Helios' voice prompted her to usher Jadeite inside so the two of them could speak privately. Inside the house, Jadeite quietly crouched beneath the window, straining to hear the conversation happening outside.

"What is this in regards to?" Phoebe asked, knowing that Helios never appeared physically before anyone unless something was about to happen.

"It's about Frederick" he said matter-of-factly, causing Phoebe to gasp.

"Have you found him?" she asked, her voice panicked. "Is he alright?" Helios nodded, closing his eyes.

"He is alive" Helios assured her. "But there is something you need to know."

"What is it?" Phoebe asked, her voice trembling as she spoke.

"He is no longer the man you once loved" Helios said bluntly. Phoebe furrowed her brow in confusion, looking at him.

"What do you mean?" Helios sighed, then spoke again.

"When Frederick left you and Jadeite, his heart was tainted with jealousy. He was angry that Jadeite was going to have handed to him the very thing he had always longed for."

"I'm sorry, I don't quite understand…" Phoebe sighed. Helios continued speaking, his tone becoming more urgent with every word.

"There is much evil that exists in this world, and one of the worst kinds of evil is jealousy" Helios explained. Phoebe nodded in agreement, listening as Helios continued to speak. "I guess I shouldn't hold this back from you any longer. Frederick…" Helios paused and looked at Phoebe, his eyes filled with sadness and fear.

"Tell me, Helios" Phoebe begged. "What happened?"

"Frederick has sworn his allegiance to the army of the Dark Kingdom" Helios said. When he spoke these words, Phoebe could feel her chest tighten.

"What?" she asked, horrified. "How could he do this?" Helios sighed and shook his head.

"It's difficult to say. I feel something terrible is going to happen soon" Helios said quietly, averting his gaze to the ground. Phoebe said nothing, but just stared at Helios in shock.

"What do you think it is?" Phoebe asked. Helios shook his head, then looked up into her eyes.

"A war is coming" Helios said cryptically, his eyes flickering in the moonlight. Jadeite, who was still listening inside the house, sucked in a breath and continued to eavesdrop.

"A war?" Phoebe repeated. Helios nodded.

"Yes. The Dark Kingdom is going to unleash it's terror on Elysion soon. Many lives will be lost, and only those who pledge their loyalty to their ruler, Queen Metalia, will survive." Phoebe gasped, clasping her hand over her mouth.

"No…" she murmured. Helios closed his eyes and bowed his head.

"I'm afraid there's nothing that can stop this" he haid sadly. "However, there is something you can do to protect your heart."

"My heart?" Phoebe asked. An image of Jadeite's happy, smiling face flashed in her mind, and she instantly understood what Helios meant. "What do I have to do?"

"Frederick will come for you" Helios began to explain. "When he does, you must make him promise no harm will come to Jadeite. Though Frederick's heart is plagued with darkness, there is a part of him that still cares for his son, and if you ask this of him, Jadeite will be safe."

"But, what will happen to me?" Phoebe asked, fearful.

"That is entirely up to you" Helios said, leaving Phoebe confused. She knew she would understand later, so she let the issue go. "Thank you for your time, Phoebe. I must be going now." Phoebe turned and walked to the door, but before going inside she turned to face Helios once more.

"Helios?" she asked. He voice shaking. "Can you promise me something?" Helios nodded in response.

"You'd like me to look after Jadeite, is that right?" Phoebe nodded.

"Yes" she said softly. "No matter what happens to me, I want him to be happy." Helios dropped to one knee and looked up into Phoebe's eyes.

"I will protect him, no matter what. You have my word." As he rose to his feet, Phoebe smiled at him.

"Thank you" she whispered, then turned to walk inside. There, she found Jadeite sitting on the floor underneath the window.

"What did Helios want, Mama?" Jadeite asked, though he already knew, thanks to his curious nature.

"He just needed to tell me something" Phoebe half lied. Jadeite rose to his feet and peered out the window, noticing that Helios had not gone yet.

"I'll be right back, Mama" Jadeite said as he walked out the door. Upon hearing his footsteps outside, Helios turned and smiled at him.

"You were listening, weren't you?" he asked. Jadeite blushed and nodded, looking down at the ground.

"Yes, I was. I'm sorry. I was worried" Jadeite said softly. "You seemed upset." Helios stepped directly in front of Jadeite, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't have to worry. Nothing bad will happen to you."

"But Helios," Jadeite protested. "You said a war is coming, right?" Helios nodded, and Jadeite continued to speak. "I had a dream about that once…" Jadeite's voice trailed off as he broke his gaze from Helios' face. Helios knelt before him and smiled, instantly putting the young boy's mind, and his heart, at ease.

"Yes, I remember you telling me about that. Rest assured, that no matter what happens, you will be safe."

"And Mama too?" Jadeite asked.

"I can't say for sure, but i believe her determination to keep you safe, and her love for you, will feed her will to survive."

"Thank you, Helios" Jadeite said, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around the man's waist. Helios returned his embrace, sighing peacefully.

"You're welcome, young one. Now get inside before you freeze" Helios instructed as the cool late night air brushed against his pale skin. Jadeite did as he was told and walked inside, walking over to Phoebe and embracing her.

"I love you, Mama. You'll never forget that, will you?" Phoebe hugged him tightly and shook her head.

"Never" she assured him. "Now, let's get you to bed." Jadeite nodded and went into his room to change into his pajamas. He then climbed into bed and waited for Phoebe to come tuck him in and kiss him goodnight after she finished washing the dishes. He realized she would be slightly delayed when he heard loud banging on the door. He could hear her sigh and grumble to herself as she walked to the door. When she opened it, she gasped, and the plate in her hands crashed to the floor.

"F-Frederick?"


	6. Don't Leave Me, Mama

Don't Leave Me, Mama

A tall, muscular man stood in the doorway, saying nothing. His eyes pierced through Phoebe like a sword. Phoebe opened her mouth to speak again, but Frederick raised his hand to silence her.

"You know exactly why I'm here" Frederick said gruffly. "I know Helios came to warn you. Didn't he?" Phoebe didn't say a word. She turned her eyes away from Frederick, and he reached out to grab her face and make her look at him. "Didn't he?" Frederick repeated, staring coldly into Phoebe's eyes. Phoebe pulled Frederick's hand off her and took a step back.

"So what if he did?" Phoebe asked smugly. Jadeite quietly watched the entire confrontation between his parents unfold, tears stinging the backs of his eyes.

"Well, then you know what's going to happen. In fact, you might know too much" Frederick hissed, his hot breath settling on Phoebe's cheek like morning dew on a window pane. She jerked her head back and stepped back once more, realizing that she was now against the wall, with nowhere to go.

"Stay away from me" she hissed back.

"What are you going to do?" Frederick challenged. "Kill me?" A smirk appeared on his lips as he daringly took another step forward. The bravery in Phoebe's eyes quickly turned to fear. Frederick reached into his pocket and slowly pulled out a dagger. The shiny metal blade glistened beneath the flickering candlelight. He raised it, and just when he was about to strike, Jadeite darted out of the bedroom and stood between Frederick and Phoebe.

"Don't!" he pleaded, tears forming in his eyes. Frederick lowered the dagger, and the look in his eyes softened. The dagger slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor. Frederick stood speechless. This was the first time he had seen his son since he was a baby.

"Jadeite" he murmured. Jadeite looked at him, confused.

"How do you know my name?" he asked, his voice shaking. Frederick paused for a moment, breaking eye contact with Jadeite. Finally, he looked his son in the eyes once more and spoke.

"I'm your father" he said quietly. Jadeite looked at him, his eyes wide.

"What? But how? You've been gone so long I thought you died…" Jadeite said, still in disbelief. Frederick shook his head.

"I'm sorry I worried you" Frederick said softly, stepping toward Jadeite.

"Don't touch him" Phoebe hissed. "He's not your son." Frederick glared at her, turning to face her directly.

"It took two people to make him, and if I remember correctly, I was one of them" Frederick argued, walking toward Phoebe.

"You left" she shot back. "You have no right to call yourself his father when you haven't been here at all." Without a word, Frederick reached out and slapped Phoebe across the face, causing Jadeite to wince. Phoebe brought her hand up to her face in shock, then turned to Jadeite. "Go back to your room" she ordered frantically.

"But, mama—" Jadeite tried to protest, but Phoebe cut him off.

"It's not safe for you right now. You need to go" she said shakily. Jadeite turned and walked into his room, then sat on his bed and listened as his parents continued to argue. Shaking, he buried his face in his knees and prayed they would stop soon.

 _"_ _Don't worry, young one."_ Helios' voice echoed in Jadeite's head, and he looked up. He could feel Helios' presence, but he was nowhere to be found. As his parents' shouting intensified, Jadeite grew more fearful of his safety. He looked at the window, and got an idea. He quietly slid the window open just enough to fit through, and once he was outside, he ran. The dirt and rocks stung the bottoms of his bare feet, but he felt nothing. He ran until he reached the one place he knew he was safe.

"Helios?" he asked, his voice panicked. Helios turned, and when he saw the boy, his eyes filled with worry.

"What's the matter?" Helios asked, walking toward Jadeite.

"My…my dad came back, and he tried to hurt Mama" Jadeite said, gasping for breath between words. The young boy collapsed to his knees, and Helios knelt beside him.

"So, you decided to run away?" Helios asked, mildly disappointed. Jadeite hung his head, tears falling from his eyes and landing on the grass.

"I'm sorry" he sobbed. "I was afraid. I didn't know what else to do."

"Jadeite, there are many times in your life that you will be afraid. The worst thing you can do in those situations is run."

"I'm sorry" he repeated. Helios gently lifted Jadeite's head and looked him in the eyes.

"There is still time. Hurry back before it's too late." Jadeite nodded and stood up, thanking Helios before turning and running back to the house. He came through the front door and saw his parents still arguing. Frederick bent down to pick up the dagger, then turned to face Phoebe.

"So, what have you decided?" he asked, sneering. Phoebe exhaled sharply and opened her mouth, her words barely audible.

"I won't go" she said shakily. "I can't leave my son."

"I told you, he's OUR son" Frederick roared, bringing the dagger down to cut Phoebe. Jadeite darted in front of him, taking the wound in place of his mother. He stood there in shock, unsure of what had just happened. He slowly raised his hand and touched his cheek, bringing it down to find it stained with blood.

"You monster!" Phoebe shouted, lunging forward and knocking Frederick to the floor. "Get out! Now!" Frederick stood up and grumbled under his breath, then looked Phoebe coldly in the eyes.

"Fine. You have three days to make your decision. I'll be back." He stormed out the door and slammed it behind him. Phoebe knelt beside Jadeite, shaking.

"I'm so sorry" she sobbed.

"It's okay, mama. It doesn't hurt that much." Phoebe shakily stood up and walked to the kitchen, picking up a dish rag and wetting it, then walking back over to where Jadeite was. She gently dabbed at the cut until the bleeding stopped, then scooped Jadeite into her arms and cried. The realization that she only had three days left to spend with him, no matter what she chose, was heartbreaking. Jadeite snuggled closer to her and sighed. After several moments, Phoebe spoke.

"Do you want to sleep with me tonight?" she asked. Jadeite nodded, and the two of them walked to her bedroom. The last time he had seen it, the walls were decorated with pictures of Phoebe and Frederick from their happier days, and those were now gone. The blank walls stared back at Jadeite as he climbed into the bed and snuggled close to Phoebe once again. The Jadeite stone that Phoebe received from Helios glittered on her dresser, catching his eye. He sat up and looked towards it, curious.

"Mama, what's that?" he asked, pointing at it. She walked over and picked it up, bringing it over to him and placing it in his hand.

"It's a Jadeite stone" Phoebe said with a smile. "Helios brought it to me when you were born, and that's where your name came from" she explained as Jadeite listened in awe. He looked down at the stone in his hand and it glittered once again. Phoebe gently closed his fingers around it, keeping her hand on his for a moment after. "I want you to keep it" she said softly.

"What for, mama?"

"So you'll have something to remember me by" Phoebe replied, avoiding eye contact with Jadeite as she spoke. Jadeite reached over and touched her cheek. Tears filled his eyes as he responded to her words.

"I love you, mama." Phoebe turned to look at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"I love you too" she whispered. The two of them climbed under the blanket and attempted to get some sleep. Soon after falling asleep, Jadeite began to dream.

 _It was a perfect day. The sun shone down brightly on the white walls of the king's palace. Outside in the courtyard, Jadeite was leaning against a tree. He was older, and dressed in magnificent white clothing with blue detailing. The cape draped over his shoulders fluttered gently in the wind. He closed his eyes contentedly and sighed, enjoying the tranquility of the day. After a brief moment, a voice he didn't recognize cut through the quietness, snapping him out of his daze._

 _"_ _Serenity? Where are you?" It was a female's voice. She sounded agitated, and slightly worried. Jadeite turned slightly and noticed a woman he had not seen before. She had long black hair that cascaded down her back and reflected purple in the sunlight, and beautiful dark eyes that did the same. Jadeite stepped up next to her and cleared his throat. The woman jumped slightly and turned to look at him, her eyes flickering with fear._

 _"_ _Are you alright?" he asked calmly. The woman sighed and smoothed out her short red skirt, then looked at him._

 _"_ _I…I'm sorry for trespassing" she said softly. "I was looking for someone."_

 _"_ _Maybe I can help" Jadeite said with a smile._

 _"_ _Do you know Princess Serenity?" the woman asked. Jadeite nodded, then spoke._

 _"_ _Yes, I do. She comes here often to see Endymion." The woman nodded her head, then let out an exasperated sigh._

 _"_ _That's what I thought" she muttered. "Do you know if she's here now?" Jadeite nodded and began to walk away, motioning for the woman to follow him._

 _"_ _There they are" he said, pointing to a large tree. A man with dark hair and blue eyes sat underneath it, and a woman with long blonde hair laid next to him, her head resting in his lap._

 _"_ _Serenity" the dark haired woman called out. The blonde lifted her head, and her eyes widened when she saw her._

 _"_ _Oh, Sailor Mars!" she squeaked._

 _"_ _You know you're not supposed to leave without permission" Mars scolded. "I have to take you back now. Your mother is worried sick." Serenity sighed and got up, smoothing out her white dress as she stood. The man stood up as well and embraced Serenity._

 _"_ _I'll see you again soon" he promised her. Jadeite stepped up next to Endymion and the two men watched the women walk away._

 _"_ _Sailor Mars…" Jadeite murmured._

Jadeite felt a hand on his shoulder, and opened his eyes to find that he was back in his mother's bed. She was standing over him, a worried expression on her face.

"Are you alright?" she asked. "You tossed and turned all night."

"I'm fine, mama. I had a strange dream though."

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Phoebe asked, sitting on the bed next to him.

"It was about a girl…" Jadeite replied. "Well, sort of. I don't know who she was, but she was looking for a princess."

"That's interesting" Phoebe said, urging him to go on.

"Yeah, it was. In the dream, I really liked her."

"Well, you know, someday you will meet a girl you like, and you'll probably get married and have a family" Phoebe said with a wink. Jadeite wrinkled his nose and shook his head.

"I don't know about that" he said, giggling.

"Trust me, you will" Phoebe assured him. "Now, what do you say we get up, and get ready for the day?"

That day, and the next two, passed by far too quickly for their liking. Today was the day Phoebe's fate would be decided. She still hadn't made up her mind, but she knew whatever she chose, she had to make sure Jadeite wouldn't suffer like she was bound to. That night, as Phoebe and Jadeite were finishing up with dinner, there was a loud banging on the door. Phoebe sucked in a breath, looked at Jadeite, and walked to the door to answer it. When she opened it, Frederick was standing there, just as she feared he would be.

"Have you decided?" Frederick asked, staring at her coldly. There were two men with him, and their expressions were just as icy as his.

"I..." Phoebe paused for a moment and looked at Jadeite, and in that one short moment, she knew what she had to do.

"Well?" one of the other men asked.

"You have to promise me something first" Phoebe said.

"What?" Frederick asked.

"You have to promise that no harm will come to our son." Frederick paused for a moment and looked at Jadeite, whose blue-gray eyes were filled with fear.

"Fine" Frederick sighed. "Now, are you coming, or do I have to take your heart back to Queen Metalia in this?" he asked, holding out a pine box. Phoebe looked back at Jadeite one last time, and before she could give her answer, Jadeite ran forward and wrapped his arms around her.

"Please don't leave me" he sobbed. Phoebe knelt down next to him and hugged him tightly, tears filling her eyes.

"I have to" she whispered. "Everything will be okay. You have to believe me. Can you do that?" she asked, pulling away from him just enough to look into his eyes. He sniffled and brushed the tears from his cheeks.

"I believe you, mama" he whispered, hugging her for the last time. Phoebe stood and took in a shaky breath, then turned to face Frederick and the other two men.

"I will go with you" she said. She followed them out the door. Before she disappeared from sight, she turned to look at her son one more time.

"I will always be with you" she said before being pulled away. Jadeite was now alone for the first time in his life, but something inside him told him not to be afraid. He pulled the green Jadeite stone out of his pocket and held it tightly, kissing it before putting it back. He then crawled into his bed and pulled the blanket over his head, attempting to get some sleep.

Jadeite awoke the next morning, half expecting the events of the previous night to be a dream. He wanted to crawl out of bed, walk into the kitchen and find Phoebe there, as she was nearly every morning. Instead of this expectation, he was faced with a cold, harsh reality. She was really gone. Jadeite decided to pay Helios a visit. Maybe that would make him feel better.

When Jadeite arrived by Helios' secret hiding place, he was greeted by a pair of sad eyes in place of Helios' usually peaceful ones. Before Jadeite could say a word, Helios spoke.

"You're not alone" he assured the boy. "This is just part of your destiny." Jadeite looked at him and blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"You will know soon" Helios assured him once more, before disappearing from sight. A moment later, Jadeite heard a voice crying out in the distance.

"Someone, please help me!" Jadeite immediately felt that he had to do something, so he ran, following the voice. He soon stumbled on a boy who looked to be around his age. The boy had wavy brown hair and blue eyes.

"A-Are you okay?" Jadeite stuttered. The second boy looked at him and shook his head.

"They…they took my parents" he said, still in shock. Jadeite immediately knew who the boy was referring to.

"They took mine too" he said softly. The second boy managed a small smile, and stuck out his hand.

"My name's Nephrite. What's yours?"


	7. Intelligence and Comfort

**A/N: I'm sooo sorry it took so long to update this! I got a little bit of writers block, but i finally figured out how to continue. If you like this, please leave feedback!**

 **Without further ado, we begin Nephrite's story!**

Part Two: Nephrite

Intelligence and Comfort

 _Eight years ago_

The night was still and quiet. Not a sound could be heard except for crickets chirping in the distance. Inside a small house, a husband and wife were tucked safely in their bed. He was sleeping peacefully, but that was not the case for her. She sat up in the bed and sighed, wiping a tear off her cheek. The couple was expecting their first child, a son, and his due date was drawing closer. As she stared down at her belly and thought about what was to come, a voice cut through the silence, causing her to jump.

"Don't worry", the voice said. "Everything is going to be alright." The woman brushed a strand of auburn hair from her face and looked around the room, confused.

"W-Who's there?" she whispered. Trying not to wake her husband.

"I cannot reveal myself to you yet, Sophia." The woman's eyes widened, and her breath caught in her throat.

"How do you know my name?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"You don't have to be afraid" the voice said, its calmness putting Sophia at ease. "You already know who I am." Sophia thought for a moment and furrowed her brow in confusion.

"I don't understand…" she murmured.

"I will make myself known to you after your son is born. Try to get some rest, and i promise we will meet again soon." The mysterious voice faded away, leaving Sophia in the dark bedroom, her husband still sleeping beside her. She laid down and closed her eyes, trying to get some sleep before the sun rose.

After what seemed like mere minutes. Sophia was jostled awake by her husband.

"Sophia, wake up." His voice sounded urgent. She slowly opened her eyes and sat up, groaning.

"What is it, Noah?" she asked, muffling a yawn and brushing the matted, sweat laden hair from her face.

"We have a visitor" he replied, offering no further explanation before exiting the room. Sophia sighed and got out of the bed, changing into a flowy green dress and trying to fix her hair before stepping out of the bedroom. When she walked out into the next room, she was greeted by a man she had not seen before.

"Hello Sophia" the man said. His voice was familiar…Sophia stood in silence, looking at the man and cocking her head to the side.

"Sophia, say something" Noah urged, tapping her lightly on the arm.

"It's…it's you" she murmured. The man nodded and stepped forward, bowing his head slightly.

"You know him?" Noah asked, confused. Before Sophia could respond, the man interceded.

"I spoke to her last night. I could sense she was worried, so I assured her everything would be alright" the man said softly. Noah looked at him, then looked back at Sophia.

"What were you worried about?" he asked. Sophia said nothing, simply placing her hand on her belly. Noah knew exactly what she meant, and rose to his feet to stand beside her. She leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder, finally finding the courage to speak.

"I don't know if I can be a mother" she admitted, the words escaping her lips in barely a whisper. Noah turned to face her, placing a hand under her chin and lifting her head gently.

"I'm just as scared as you" he said. "But, I promise, we'll get through this." Sophia nodded, and a wave of relief washed over her.

"You're right" she said, smiling. "I don't know how this is going to turn out, but I know that with you by my side, there isn't anything we can't do."

"That's right" Noah said, leaning down and kissing Sophia's forehead. They held one another for several moments, completely lost in their own world, when they suddenly realized their mysterious company was still there. They turned to him, and Noah spoke.

"You still haven't told us who you are, or why you're here," The man chuckled and stepped forward, bowing his head once mpre as he had done before.

"I'm sorry, how rude of me. My name is Helios."

"Helios?" Sophia repeated. Helios nodded in response.

"Yes. I am the guardian of the kingdom of Elysion."

"The guardian of…so, the stories are true, then?" Noah murmured, recalling hearing several myths about Helios as a child.

"Yes, I suppose they are" Helios said, grinning. The golden horn on his head sparkled in the sunlight.

"Why are you…" before Sophia could finish her question, Helios turned to her. He held out his hand, and resting on his palm was a glittering green gem. Noah examined the stone for a moment, then spoke.

"That's a Nephrite stone, isn't it?" he asked. Helios nodded. "If I remember correctly, they're similar to the jadeite stone, but lesser known…"

"Yes, that's correct" Helios said with a nod. "However, they still serve the same purpose. They're just as valuable, if not more so." Sophia and Noah both looked at Helios, slightly confused.

"Is there a reason you're giving this to us?" Noah asked, trying not to sound rude. Helios nodded and began to explain.

"Nephrite stones symbolize intelligence and comfort. Your son will grow up possessing these traits, among many others, but these two will shine the brightest." Sophia felt a small kick from her unborn son that caused her to jump slightly.

"It seems like somebody agrees with that" Sophia chuckled. Up until that moment, she and Noah hadn't settled on a name, but now she knew what it would be. She looked down at her belly and smiled, speaking softly. "Isn't that right, Nephrite?" Noah smiled and nodded upon hearing the name.

"It's perfect" he murmured, kissing Sophia's forehead. Helios nodded in agreement, then placed the stone in Sophia's hand, closing her fingers around it. She placed that hand on her heart and closed her eyes, sighing happily. She knew in that moment that no matter what happened, the three of them would be okay.

-Present Day-

"Sophia? Are you alright?" Sophia jumped at the sound of Noah's voice, turning and brushing her bangs out of her eyes. She nodded and sighed, refusing to look him in the eyes. Noah wrinkled his nose in distaste, sitting down next to Sophia. He echoed her sigh and watched the flickering flames in the fireplace. Finally, Sophia spoke.

"I feel like something is going to happen" she said sadly. The army of the Dark Kingdom had already begun to take over, and though Elysion had not erupted into complete chaos yet, it was rapidly getting there. Noah placed a hand on her knee and looked into her eyes, trying to find something to say that would comfort her. When the words would not come to him, he sighed in aggravation. A sudden noise behind him caused him to turn around, and he saw Nephrite standing in the entryway.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Noah asked. Nephrite walked into the room and sat between his parents, gazing at the floor.

"Is something wrong?" Sophia asked. Nephrite looked at her, then at Noah, then back at the floor.

"I don't know" he said with a shrug. He sighed and buried his face in his knees.

"How do you not know?" Noah wondered, tilting his head to the side in confusion. Nephrite finally lifted his head and looked at him, his eyes filled with an intensity that neither Sophia nor Noah had seen before.

"I feel like something bad is going to happen" Nephrite said quietly, turning his head to gaze out the window into the darkness. Thunder boomed softly in the distance, and the sky lit up with a flash of lightning. Sophia hugged him and sighed, wondering if there was anything she could do or say to alleviate his fear. Thunder rang out across the sky again, this time louder than before, and another lightning bolt struck, it's impact echoing into the silent night.

"Did I ever tell you the story of the Goddess of Thunder?" Sophia asked, changing the subject in an attempt to ease her worried son's mind. He looked up at her and shook his head.

"No…who is she?" he asked, his face laced with curiosity.

"Well, legend says that she lives in a palace on Jupiter's moon Io. She watches over us, and if anything at all threatens us in any way, she will fight to protect us." Nephrite's eyes lit up as he listened to Sophia's story, and a smile came onto his face.

"The thunder and lightning…is she doing that?" Nephrite asked excitedly. Sophia giggled and nodded, pulling him close.

"Yes, she is. You don't have to worry" Sophia assured him. "Do you think you can go to sleep now?" Nephrite nodded and stood up.

"Will you come tuck me in?" he asked before turning to walk out of the room. Sophia followed him and waited for him to climb into his bed. Once he was settled, she walked over and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

"Good night" she said, smiling at him. He smiled back, and a small yawn escaped him.

"Good night" he murmured. Sophia turned to walk out of the room, and after she left, Nephrite sat up and looked out the window at the stars.

"Thanks for keeping us safe, Jupiter" he murmured before settling back into his pillow and drifting off to sleep.


	8. A Mysterious New Friend

A Mysterious New Friend

The next morning, Nephrite woke up feeling rested. He looked out the window and watched the rain water drip from the trees into the grass, smiling to himself. Quiet days like this were the kind he treasured most. He could see Sophia outside, hanging their freshly washed laundry on the line to dry. He excitedly got out of bed and ran outside, the wet grass sticking to his bare feet. Once he reached Sophia, he greeted her cheerfully.

"Good morning, mama" he said with a smile. She finished hanging up the last of the laundry, then leaned down to embrace him.

"Good morning" she said, smiling back at him. "How did you sleep?"

"Pretty well, I guess…" Nephrite said, his voice trailing off slightly as he spoke. Sophia looked at him, mildly concerned.

"Is everything okay?" Nephrite nodded and smiled again.

"Yeah, the rain just kept waking me up" he explained.

"I'm sorry" Sophia said sympathetically. "What are you planning to do today?"

"I don't know yet" Nephrite replied with a shrug. Sophia thought for a moment, then knelt down beside him.

"I have an idea. How about you go get dressed, then we can go into town. I have a few things I need to get" she suggested. Nephrite's eyes lit up and a smile broke out across his face.

"Okay!" he agreed, then turned to run inside and change. After a few moments, he was standing in the front doorway, ready to go.

"Looks like someone's eager to get out of here" Sophia said with a giggle. Nephrite stepped outside and walked up next to her, smiling and nodding.

"Is dad coming too?" he asked, looking around for Noah. Sophia giggled again and shook her head.

"No, he had some things he needed to do today, so it's just going to be you and me" she explained. A moment later, the pair were on their way.

They arrived at the market, finding that it was extremely busy. As they maneuvered their way through the seemingly never ending crowd, Sophia grabbed Nephrite's hand and looked down at him, her face stern but calm.

"Make sure you stay by me. I don't want you to get lost" she commanded. Nephrite looked up at her and nodded.

"Yes, mama." Sophia smiled down at him then turned to peruse the various stands. The merchants were selling different varieties of produce, fish and numerous other things. As she was deciding what to buy, Nephrite was watching the people around him. Someone in the crowd caught his eye, and he couldn't help but stare. The man he spotted was dressed in white, and had a cloak over his clothes that covered nearly everything but his face. The man turned toward Nephrite and their eyes met. Embarrassed that he had been caught, Nephrite blushed and quickly turned his head away. After a moment, he carefully looked back and noticed that the man was gone. It was as though he had vanished into thin air. Nephrite was quickly brought back to reality by the sound of Sophia's voice.

"Which apples should we get?"

"W-What?" Nephrite stuttered as he turned to look at her.

"Which apples do you think we should get?" Sophia asked again, confused. "Are you alright?" Nephrite nodded as he felt the blush fade from his face.

"Get the red ones. I like them the best" he said with a smile, and Sophia picked up a small bag of the fruit and placed it in her basket. They then got everything else they needed, and decided to leave before it became more crowded. When they arrived back home, they were surprised to see someone standing in front of their house. As they got closer, Nephrite's eyes widened. He recognized the white clothing the man was wearing, and the cloak that was covering his head. The gravel crunched under their feet as they walked up, and the man turned to face them.

"Can I help you?" Sophia asked cautiously. Without a single word, the man smiled and pulled the hood of his cloak down, and she gasped. "Oh,. It…it's you!" Nephrite looked up at her, then back at him, and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Do you know him, mama?" he asked, confused. Sophia stood in silence, only able to shake her head in response.

"Yes, I do" she finally said, her voice regaining its natural calmness. "He's…an old friend" she explained, smiling softly. The man stepped forward and bowed his head slightly.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Nephrite" he said. His voice was soft, but at the same time, commanded respect. Nephrite gulped, trying not to let his intimidation show.

"It's nice to meet you, too" he replied, his voice shaking. The man sensed his fear and chuckled softly.

"You don't have to be afraid" he said, and Nephrite instantly calmed down.

"Nephrite, this is Helios" Sophia explained. "He is the guardian of this Kingdom."

"So, you're a King?" Nephrite asked. Helios shook his head and chuckled again.

"No, not exactly."

"He's a little more important than that" Sophia interjected, giggling.

"I don't understand…" Nephrite said, blushing slightly. A single raindrop fell from the sky and landed on Nephrite's head, sliding down onto his face. Sophia looked up and noticed that the sky had turned to a dark grey.

"Why don't we go inside? I can make some tea, and we can talk more." She headed in, and Nephrite and Helios followed her. As soon as they were inside, the rain started falling harder.

"Well, it looks like we got inside just in time, right?" Helios said, winking playfully at Nephrite. Nephrite smiled shyly at him.

"I guess so" he said quietly. Silence filled the room, and luckily, it didn't feel awkward at all. There was something familiar about Helios, but Nephrite couldn't put his finger on what it was. Sensing his confusion, Helios leaned forward in his seat and began to fill in the blanks for the boy.

"I've known your parents since before you were born" he explained. "I told them that you were going to grow up and do amazing things" he said, and Nephrite tilted his head in response.

"I am?" he asked, still confused. Helios nodded and continued speaking.

"Yes. However, I can't tell you what those things are just yet." Hearing this, Nephrite's face fell and he sunk down in his chair. A short moment later, Sophia entered the room carrying a tray that held a steaming teapot and three cups. She set it on the table and poured the tea, then sat down next to Helios.

"I'm sorry that took so long" she said apologetically. Helios smiled at her and sighed contentedly.

"Don't worry about it" he assured her. "Nephrite and I were just talking, weren't we?" he asked, turning to Nephrite. Nephrite smiled and sat up.

"Yes, we were" he said, nodding his head. He wanted to know what Helios meant earlier, but he knew he would have to wait to find out. As he, Sophia and Helios talked, the storm finally passed and the sun peeked out from behind the clouds.

"I suppose I should be going" Helios said, standing up and turning to face Sophia and Nephrite. "Thank you for allowing me into your home. I hope you two stay well. Give my regards to Noah" he said with a smile. Sophia nodded and smiled at him.

"I will. Thank you for visiting us, Helios. It was a pleasure to have you. come back anytime, alright?"

"I will" Helios chuckled, and Sophia followed him to the door. She and Nephrite watched as he left, and when they could no longer see him, Sophia closed the door. She looked down at Nephrite and smiled.

"So, did you two find something interesting to talk about?" she asked.

"Yeah, we sure did" he responded, smiling back at her. He gazed dreamily out the window, sighing happily. This was the perfect way to end the day.


	9. The Woman with the Red Hair

The Woman with Red Hair

The next morning, Nephrite woke up earlier than expected. The sky was a light grey color, and the sun was barely peeking up in the distance. He yawned and sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes. He watched in awe as the sky became painted with streaks of orange, yellow and pink, and daylight was upon the kingdom. He climbed out of his bed and crept outside his bedroom to find his parents talking in the living room. Sensing something was wrong, he quietly leaned against the wall and listened.

"You don't really think that's going to happen, do you?" he heard Sophia ask, he voice shaking slightly.

"I can't say for sure" Noah replied, sighing heavily. "All I know is, our son must be protected, no matter what." Nephrite furrowed his brow and began to wonder what it was they were talking about. Was something going to happen? He continued to listen, and when the conversation took on a lighter tone, he stepped out into the room.

"Good morning" Nephrite said, smiling.

"You're up early" Noah replied. "Is everything alright?" Nephrite wanted so desperately to ask him the same thing, but brushed it off.

"Yeah, I guess so. When did you get back?" he asked.

"I got in late last night. You were already in bed."

"Oh…where did you go, anyway? I didn't know you were leaving" Nephrite said, mildly annoyed. He never liked to be the last to know things, especially when they involved people he loved. Noah chuckled, then paused a moment before speaking.

"I had to go meet someone" he said, praying Nephrite wouldn't press the issue.

"Who?" Noah sighed and buried his face in his hands.

"You really are your mother's son…" he chuckled softly. "I can't really say anything about that, but it's nothing. Try not to worry, okay?" Nephrite sighed and nodded, taking a seat next to Noah.

"So, are you back for good now, or do you have to leave again?"

"I may have to leave, but I promise that if I do, I'll tell you next time. Deal?" Noah asked, smiling down at Nephrite. Nephrite brushed his bangs out of his face and smiled back.

"Deal." The conversation then shifted into a discussion about what they were going to do that day. They finally decided on packing a picnic and spending the day out in the mountains. After getting dressed and getting everything ready, the three of them set off.

After the picnic, Sophia turned to Nephrite. "Your father and I need to talk privately."

"Okay, then i think I'll go for a walk" Nephrite said, managing a smile. He wanted to ask what they were going to talk about, but he knew what good that would do.

"Thank you, son" Noah said with a smile. "Make sure you don't wander off too far, okay?"

"Okay" Nephrite agreed, then began to walk into the trees. As he walked, he looked around him and thought about how beautiful Elysion was, and how fortunate they were to live there. After walking for some time, he saw a figure up ahead, and it startled him. He paused for a moment, then gradually began to walk closer. As the figure became clearer to him, he could see it was a woman. She was sitting on a large rock, and her long red hair blew gently in the breeze. Trying to stay quiet, Nephrite walked even closer to get a better look at her. He stepped on a twig and it snapped, causing him and the woman to jump. She turned to look at him, her eyes wide with fear. When she saw he was just a boy, she relaxed.

"Hello" she said. Nephrite smiled at her and returned the greeting.

"Hello. Are you okay?" he asked, noticing that the woman looked sad.

"Yes, at least I will be someday" she said quietly, turning her head. She stared out into the distance for several minutes, saying nothing. Nephrite looked in the direction she was looking, and saw the palace.

"That's the palace, right?" Nephrite asked. The woman looked at him again, and this time her eyes were filled with tears.

"Yes" she said shakily. A tear slid down her cheek and she quickly brushed it away.

"Why are you crying?" Nephrite asked.

"It's nothing you would understand" the woman said.

"Maybe I can help, if you want to talk about it" Nephrite offered, shrugging his shoulders. The woman looked at him and smiled. He sat down in the grass next to the woman, and she began to tell him her story. She was a sorceress, and she had served the king for quite some time. She had secretly fallen in love with him, but he was married. After his wife fell ill, she attempted to save her, but was unsuccessful. Everyone knew of her feelings, and thought she had killed the queen on purpose, so she was banished.

"Wow…" Nephrite murmured. "I'm sorry they did that to you. I don't think that's right at all."

"Really?" she woman sniffled, looking at him. Nephrite nodded in response.

"You seem like a nice lady to me" he shrugged. "My name's Nephrite. What's yours?" The woman smiled, then introduced herself.

"I'm Beryl." The two talked for a while longer, then Nephrite could hear Sophia calling for him.

"Oh, my mom is looking for me. I have to go. It was nice meeting you" he said, turning to smile at Beryl before leaving.

"Nephrite?" she called out before he got too far away. He turned to look at her, and she spoke again. "Thank you." He nodded, then turned to run back to his parents. When they say him coming, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Where were you?" Sophia asked. "We told you not to go too far."

"I'm sorry" Nephrite said, hanging his head.

"Did you have a nice walk?" Noah asked. Nephrite nodded, then looked up at him.

"Yeah, I did" he said. He thought about Beryl again, and wondered if he should mention meeting her. He brushed the thought away, figuring he may not see her again anyway.

By the time they arrived back home, the sun was nearly gone. Nephrite stifled a yawn, then smiled at his parents.

"Are you tired?" Sophia giggled. Nephrite smiled at her, nodding his head.

"Yeah, I was up pretty early. I think I'll go to bed now" he said, walking over to Noah and Sophia and hugging each of them.

"Good night" they said at the same time.

"Good night" Nephrite repeated, then turned toward his bedroom. He climbed into his bed, and as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was asleep. Soon after falling asleep, Nephrite began to dream.

 _Everything was on fire. Smoke and embers floated through the air, and chaos was rapidly taking over. The atmosphere echoed with the sounds of anguished screams and clattering weapons. Suddenly, a sound cut through all the other noise…laughter. A woman's voice could he heard laughing maniacally as the beautiful kingdom of Elysion turned to ash. As the smoke cleared, the woman's face became visible. She cackled again, and stepped over two corpses belonging to a dark haired man and a blonde haired woman._

 _"_ _At last! Victory is mine!" she shouted._

Nephrite sat up in his bed, wiping the beads of sweat that had formed off his brow, and gasped for breath.

"Beryl?"


	10. Ripples

Ripples

As time continued to pass, Sophia and Noah seemed to become more secretive. Nephrite felt that every time he walked into the room, their conversation would stop. Why were they hiding things from him suddenly? What was going on? One morning, after he woke up, Nephrite got out of his bed and after changing his clothes, he walked out of his room. He could hear his parents talking in hushed tones in the kitchen, so he crept as quietly as he could down the hall until he was outside the doorway, just out of their line of vision. His breathing became shallow as he listened to their conversation.

"So, who is this queen, anyway?" Sophia asked. Nephrite could hear the sound of a knife tapping against the wooden cutting board as she spoke. Noah sighed, and the wall he was leaning against creaked slightly under his weight.

"I don't know, exactly. There's some rumor going around that she's the most powerful entity in the universe." Sophia stopped what she was doing long enough to turn and look at Noah.

"What kind of power does she have?" she asked, her voice trembling with fear.

"Judging by the way people have been acting, it's safe to assume it isn't good" Noah said quietly. Nephrite craned his neck slightly so he wouldn't be noticed, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the worry in Noah's eyes. This was the first time he had seen his father like this, and that scared him. Sophia set the knife down and walked over to Noah, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"It's human nature to overreact when things are uncertain" she said softly, resting her head against his chest and listening to his heartbeat. "I'm sure everything will be fine" she assured him, looking up into his eyes.

"I hope you're right" Noah said softly. He then looked up and furrowed his brow.

"Is something wrong?" Sophia asked.

"Nephrite is usually awake by now…I'm going to go check on him" Noah said, stepping past Sophia and heading for the hall. Hearing this, Nephrite quickly sprinted back into his room and tried to act as naturally as possible. When he heard Noah's footsteps in the doorway, he slowly turned and smiled at him.

"Good morning" he said with a smile.

"Good morning, son" Noah replied. "I was just coming to check on you since you hadn't come out of your room yet."

"Yeah, I just woke up a few minutes ago" he lied, giggling nervously. Noah was silent for a minute, then walked into the room and sat down on Nephrite's bed. He looked into his son's eyes and grinned mischievously.

"So, how much of your mother's and my conversation did you hear?" he asked, and Nephrite gulped. He was caught, and there was no way to get around it.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"You and I are more alike than you know" Noah said with a chuckle, pulling Nephrite into a hug. "I used to eavesdrop just like you when I was your age. I guess we were both cursed with the mindset that we're sneakier than we actually are" he teased. The two of them laughed about that for a moment, then Noah's expression turned serious. "How much of our conversation did you hear?"

"I don't know…something about a queen?" Nephrite replied, trying his best to remember what he had heard. "You and mom seem really scared. Who is this queen or whatever, anyway?" Nephrite asked, hoping he would finally get some answers regarding their behavior.

"I don't know if you'd understand. You might be too young" Noah responded. Nephrite frowned and stood up, turning to face him.

"Why are you hiding things from me?" he asked. Tears began to form in his eyes, but never fell. "If something is going to happen that concerns us, don't you think I have a right to know?" Noah sat in silence, avoiding eye contact with Nephrite. After several moments of neither of them speaking, Nephrite exhaled sharply.

"I'm going for a walk" he mumbled, turning on his heel and walking out of the room. Noah watched him leave, and once he was out of sight, he sighed and stood up, walking into the living room where Sophia was. She looked at him, her face filled with confusion.

"What happened?"

"I was going to tell him what was going on, but something held me back. I don't know what it was…" Before Noah could explain any further, a warm golden light filled the room. When it dispersed, Helios was standing before them. Before Noah or Sophia could say anything, Helios bowed his head slightly and began to speak.

"I feel I should apologize to you, Noah. I was the one who caused you to hesitate."

"Why? I don't understand" Noah wondered aloud. Helios looked at him, and his eyes were filled with an intensity Noah had not seen before.

"Telling him now will only make him worry. He deserves to live freely and happily for as long as possible, before…"

"Before what?" Sophia asked shakily. Helios closed his eyes and sighed, hesitating to look at her. Finally, he gathered enough courage and opened his eyes again, and Sophia noticed that they were now filled with sadness.

"I really don't know how to tell you this…" he said softly.

"Please" Sophia begged. "What's going on, Helios?"

"There is a great darkness threatening this world. Once awakened, it will not stop until every last person is taken over by its power. Those who resist will perish."

"Is it…is it that queen, I wonder?" Sophia murmured, looking at Noah. Helios nodded and turned his head toward her.

"That is correct."

"What are we going to do? Can she be stopped?" Noah asked.

"I'm afraid not. The fate of this world is in her hands. The only thing you can do is the thing you know is right." Sophia looked at Noah, then the two of them looked at Helios.

"What do you mean by that?" they asked.

"I can't answer that for you. that is something you will have to figure out on your own." Noah and Sophia looked at one another, and a vision of Nephrite's smiling face appeared in each of their minds. It was then that they knew.

"No matter what…" Sophia murmured.

"…Our son must stay safe" Noah interjected. They nodded at one another, then turned to face Helios.

"Helios, can you promise us something?" Sophia asked, stepping forward and taking his hand in hers.

"Of course" he said softly.

"No matter what happens to us, will you make sure Nephrite is safe?" Helios nodded and smiled softly at the two of them.

"I will protect him at any cost, even if it means my life" he assured them. The three of them continued their conversation, and the fear that seemed to loom inside the house lifted, being replaced by laughter.

Meanwhile, Nephrite was wandering through the woods, trying to distract himself from the frustration he was feeling. After walking for a while, he came across a river. The sun was shining down on it, causing the water to sparkle in its light. Up ahead, he could hear what sounded like light splashing. He walked up the riverbank a little ways and stopped when he saw a young boy sitting by the riverside. The boy seemed to be staring blankly out in space, picking up small pebbled and tossing them into the river. Nephrite carefully approached him and sat in the grass beside him.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?" he asked. The boy looked at him, but said nothing. He turned his head away and continued throwing pebbles into the water, seemingly mesmerized by the ripples that spread across the water's surface at their impact. Finally, after a long pause, the boy turned to Nephrite.

"I could ask you the same thing" he replied. There was an almost hostile tone to his voice. Nephrite thought about leaving, but something told him to stay. He kept talking to the boy, and finally got him to open up. After they talked for a while, Nephrite smiled and stuck his hand out toward the boy.

"I'm Nephrite. What's your name?" The boy hesitantly reached for his hand and was about to introduce himself, when a woman's voice cut through the quietness of the day.

"Where has that wretched boy run off to now? I swear, when I get ahold of him he'll regret running off again." The boy jerked his hand back from Nephrite and stood up quickly, turning to run away.

"I-I have to go" he said, his voice shaking. Nephrite watched him run, then decided to get up and chase after him.

"Wait! You never told me your name!" he called out. By then, the boy was too far away to hear him. Nephrite sighed, then turned to sit by the river on his own. He tossed a pebble into the river and watched the ripples spread across its surface, and silently prayed that he and the mysterious boy would meet again someday.


	11. One Last Letter

One Last Letter

It had been several days since Nephrite's encounter with the mysterious boy by the river, but Nephrite hadn't been able to stop thinking about him. A shiver ran down his spine as the image of the boy's sad eyes appeared in his mind again. Nephrite felt as though there was a reason they met, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was. The sun shined into Nephrite's bedroom window, nearly blinding him. He shielded his face from the sudden brightness and sat up in his bed, peering out the window and sighing. Another sleepless night had come and gone, and that wasn't just the case for Nephrite.

In their small home's second bedroom, Sophia and Noah laid wide awake in their bed, talking quietly amongst themselves.

"I hate this" Sophia murmured, her voice cracking with emotion. "I haven't slept in days. Every time I try, the visions come back." Noah turned to look at her, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Visions?" he asked curiously.

"Yes" Sophia said, turning her head towards him. "I feel like something bad is going to happen."

"Tell me what you've been seeing, Sophia. I know it will be hard, but I need to know" Noah said gently, reaching out and stroking her hair softly. She sighed and pulled herself up, brushing her softly tangled bangs out of her eyes before speaking.

"I keep having visions of our kingdom becoming shrouded in darkness. No one can escape the darkness and live…" she explained, her voice trailing off as she spoke. Tears filled her eyes as she looked into Noah's. "I'm scared" she whispered. Without a word, Noah pulled Sophia into his arms and began to stroke her hair again as she quietly sobbed into his chest.

"It's going to be alright" Noah said, trying to convince Sophia, and himself, that it would be.

"Mom? Dad?" The sound of Nephrite's voice in the doorway caused the two of them to jump. And they turned to look at him, trying to act as normally as possible.

"What is it, son?" Noah asked, hoping Nephrite wouldn't notice the slight quiver in his voice.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. You can ask us anything" Sophia said, smiling softly at him.

"What's going on? I feel like you two are hiding something from me." Sophia sucked in a sharp breath and slowly turned to Noah, silently hoping he would intervene.

"Well…" she began, attempting to discreetly nudge Noah under the covers. After a moment, he cleared his throat and turned to look at Nephrite.

"I guess we can't hide the truth from you forever" he sighed, then patted the space next to him on the bed. "Come here for a second." Nephrite walked over and sat down next to Noah, his eyes never leaving him or Sophia.

"Well?" he prompted.

"I don't really know how to tell you this delicately" Noah said hesitantly. Nephrite furrowed his brow then looked at him, and it was obvious he was becoming frustrated.

"I don't care how you tell me, just tell me" Nephrite snapped. "I feel like something bad is going to happen, and I think you know what it is" he continued, his voice now less harsh.

"I know, I just…"

"You just what?"

"I don't want you to worry" Noah said, knowing deep inside that there was very little chance of that happening.

"Fine" Nephrite huffed. "If you won't tell me, then maybe someone else will." He got up and walked out of the bedroom before either of his parents could protest, and a moment later they heard the front door slam.

"Where do you think he's gone?" Sophia asked, worried. Noah sighed and shook his head.

"I wouldn't worry too much" he said, reaching over to place his hand on Sophia's. "He probably just went for a walk to clear his head. He'll come back."

"He really is just like you" Sophia giggled, laying her head on Noah's shoulder.

Meanwhile, just outside, Nephrite was sulking on the front step, mumbling to himself.

"I bet Helios would know what's going on. I wish I knew where to find him" he sighed. Just a moment later, a bird seemed to appear out of thin air. It flew overhead and swiftly landed on the ground just a few feet from Nephrite. He looked at the bird curiously, examining its colors and markings. It was white with a blue belly, and blue speckles on its wings. While admiring the bird, Nephrite began to sense a familiar energy around it. The bird suddenly began to fly away, and Nephrite quickly stood up to follow it. After a few moments, the bird landed in a pine tree. Nephrite looked around and realized he was not familiar with his surroundings.

"Where am i?" he murmured. A bright, golden light flashed in front of him, and when it cleared, Helios was standing before him.

"It's you!" Nephrite said happily, running toward him.

"I could sense you needed me, so I led you here" Helios said, smiling calmly. The sight of him nearly made Nephrite forget why he was looking for him in the first place.

"What is this place? I've never seen it before" Nephrite wondered aloud, looking around and taking in the beautiful scenery.

"This is my home" Helios explained. Nephrite looked at him, puzzled. Before he could say anything, Helios began to change form. After a moment, the man who had been so familiar to Nephrite changed into a magnificent winged horse.

"How did you do that?" Nephrite asked, a shocked expression on his face.

"This is my true form. I can't stay like this for too long because there are people looking for me, so I take on a human form to disguise myself."

"Who is looking for you? Are they bad people?" Helios nodded in response and waited a moment before speaking again.

"Yes. The people who are looking for me are under the control of a very powerful, very evil entity named Queen Metalia, so this is not their doing, but hers."

"My parents have talked about her…" Nephrite murmured, recalling hearing her name before. "But they're not telling me anything. They seem really worried, and it's making me scared too" Nephrite said as tears began to form in his eyes. Helios changed back into his human form and walked toward Nephrite, pulling him into a gentle embrace.

"I know you're scared. I can't promise you that everything will be okay, but there is one thing that I know for sure."

"What's that?" Nephrite sniffled, wiping the tears from his face with his shirt sleeve.

"No matter what happens to your parents, you will be safe."

"How do you know that?"

"I promised them you would be" Helios responded. His words put Nephrite somewhat at ease, but the boy was still unsure of what the future held for his family.

"Do you think something is going to happen to them?"

"I can't say for sure. However, if anything does, I can promise that you won't be alone."

"Really?" Nephrite asked, sniffling.

"Yes" Helios said with a slight nod. "You'll know what I mean when the time comes." Nephrite stepped forward and hugged Helios, and all his tension seemed to melt away.

"Thank you. I feel a lot better."

"I'm glad. You should probably start heading home so your parents don't worry."

"How do I get back?" Nephrite asked, unsure of exactly where Helios' secret home was. Suddenly, he could hear Sophia calling for him.

"Follow your mother's voice" Helios said with a smile. "And, just know that whenever you need me, I will find a way to help you get to me." Nephrite smiled and nodded in response, then turned to run toward the sound of Sophia's voice. When she saw him, the worry faded from her face. As he drew closer, she stepped off the front step and ran to meet him.

"Where were you? I was so worried" she said, pulling him into a hug.

"I was talking to a friend. I'm sorry for worrying you" Nephrite said, returning her embrace.

"Did you and your friend have a nice talk?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah, we did" Nephrite said, smiling back at her.

For the rest of the day, the three of them talked, laughed and cherished each moment together as if it were their last. When nightfall came, tiredness began to overtake Nephrite. After hugging both of his parents and telling them he loved them, he walked into his bedroom and climbed into bed, falling asleep more easily than he had in recent nights.

The next morning, Nephrite awoke feeling fully rested and happier than he had been the past few days. He got out of his bed and got dressed, then walked out of his room, expecting to find his parents sitting in the front room talking as they often did in the morning. When he didn't see them, he assumed they were still asleep. Quietly, he crept to their bedroom and was surprised to find it cracked open slightly. When he noticed they weren't there, he began to worry. On the dresser, there was a small white envelope. On top of the envelope was a small green stone. Nephrite curiously walked over to the dresser and picked up the envelope to look at it. Noticing it was addressed to him, he carefully opened it and pulled out the paper that was inside. As his eyes scanned the words on the page, his heart felt as though it would shatter into a million pieces. After reading the last words, he looked up and saw the green stone. He picked it up, then slid it in his pocket. Along with the letter. He sat down on the bed and began to attempt to process what had happened. His parents were gone.


	12. A New Path

A new path

Nephrite sat in the dark bedroom, the only audible sound being his heart thumping in his chest. None of this felt like it could possibly be real. As he stared down at the paper in his hands, he began to tremble. A flood of memories began to replay in his head.

 _Flashback, five years ago_

 _"_ _Mama, what's this?" Four year old Nephrite walked into the living room holding a large, thick book. He walked over to Sophia and struggled to slide the heavy book onto her lap. Giggling, she took it from his hands and motioned for him to sit with her. He smiled and climbed into her lap and listened as she explained what the book was._

 _"_ _This is a book I've had since I was a little girl. It has all sorts of stories in it."_

 _"_ _What kind of stories?" Nephrite asked._

 _"_ _Well, stories about heroes, mostly. Do you know what a hero is?" Nephrite shook his head and sighed._

 _"_ _Can you tell me?" he asked, looking up at Sophia with curious eyes._

 _"_ _Well, a hero is someone who would do anything to protect the ones they love, even if it meant giving up their life for them."_

 _"_ _You mean like daddy?" Nephrite asked, and Sophia giggled._

 _"_ _Not just him…anyone can be a hero. It all depends on your heart" she said with a smile._

As the memory faded, Nephrite glanced over to the bookshelf in the room, and saw his mother's book lying on one of the shelves. He walked over and picked it up, holding it close to him.

"I hope I can be someone's hero someday" he murmured. Nephrite suddenly began to feel drained, both physically and emotionally, so he decided to try to take a nap. Rather than go into his room, he curled up on his parents bed, breathing in their scents as he drifted off to sleep, hoping he would dream something happy.

 _Nephrite was wandering alone, surrounded by nothing but wildly blowing snow. He shielded his face from the cold the best he could and braced himself against the wind, hoping he could find some sort of shelter. In the distance, he saw what looked like a mountain. As he came closer, he noticed what appeared to be the opening of a cavern he ducked inside and breathed a sigh of relief, happy to be out of the cold. His relief quickly turned to fear as he heard voices inside the dark space. They certainly didn't sound friendly. As he listened to what the voices were saying, he realized he could be in grave danger if he was caught. He quieted his breathing the best he could and strained to listen, growing more fearful with each second that passed._

 _"_ _So, you thought you could outsmart us, did you? No one can defeat Metalia, and anyone who dares to defy her must be executed."_

 _"_ _Please, no!" a woman's voice cried out. She then erupted into gut-wrenching sobs. "I have to get back to my son!" Nephrite carefully turned his head so he could see what was going on. A woman with long blonde hair was being mercilessly beaten by a group of large men._

 _"_ _You're not going anywhere" the man hissed, then ordered the others to lock her up in the dungeon._

Nephrite sat up in his parent's bed and cried out, quickly realizing that no one would hear him. He wiped the sweat from his brow and took several deep breaths to calm his shaken nerves.

"Who was that?" he wondered aloud. He quickly brushed the thought away and gave up on sleeping for the moment. As he sat there, enveloped in the comforting warmth of the place his parents used to dream at night. Suddenly, another memory came to him.

 _"_ _Daddy, how did you and mommy meet?" Noah looked down at Nephrite and chuckled._

 _"_ _What brought this on all of a sudden?" Nephrite shrugged and grinned up at Noah._

 _"_ _I dunno, I just want to know. I don't think you've ever told me." Noah put his axe down and sat on the doorstep, and Nephrite joined him._

 _"_ _Well, you should know that it wasn't easy to get her to fall in love with me" Noah chuckled. "Your mother has always been extremely stubborn, especially in her younger days. You know, I used to work for her dad, right?"_

 _"_ _Really?" Nephrite asked, grinning._

 _"_ _Yes. He hired me to help out on their farm. I would run into her often, and no matter how polite I was to her, she always acted like I didn't exist" Noah chuckled._

 _"_ _So, how'd you get her?"_

 _"_ _Simple. I never gave up. Your mother had been hurt a lot before I came along, but once I proved to her that I was different, and got her to trust me, everything changed."_

 _"_ _I'm glad" Nephrite giggled._

 _"_ _Me too. You know why?"_

 _"_ _Why?"_

 _"_ _Because, if she and I never fell in love, we never would have had you" Noah said with a wink._

 _"_ _Do you think I'll fall in love someday, dad?"_

 _"_ _You will. And when you do, it will be the greatest feeling in the world."_

Thinking back on the happier times made Nephrite feel a little better, but the lingering pain and loneliness still dangled over him like a dark cloud. The day seemed to crawl by, and before Nephrite knew it, night had fallen upon Elysion. He looked out the window at the moon, and a small smile crept across his face. The moon was full that night, and as its silvery light covered the landscape, Nephrite felt a sense of peace for the first time that day. He refused to fall asleep, afraid that the nightmare from earlier would return. As he laid in his parents bed, surrounded by the silence, a thought struck him. He had no idea what had happened to his parents, but maybe someone else did. He jumped out of the bed and began to run, never looking back for a second. He ran into the forest and tried to remember where Helios' hideout was. After searching a while, Nephrite became discouraged. He sat down in the grass, buried his face in his knees and silently wept. Suddenly, a calm voice cut through the evening air.

"Fear not, young one. I am here." Nephrite sniffled and slowly looked up, seeing Helios standing before him.

"Helios…you're here" Nephrite said softly, wiping the tears from his cheeks.

"I promised you I always would be" the man replied, smiling at the boy. He knelt down next to him and placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

"Helios, my parents…they left" Nephrite sniffled. Helios closed his eyes and nodded, frowning slightly.

"Yes, I know" he said sadly.

"Do you know where they went?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, because I'm not sure. However, I can tell you why they left."

"I know why they left" Nephrite said softly, pulling the letter from his pocket and handing it to Helios. Helios unfolded the paper and glanced over it, sighing.

"I see" he murmured, folding it back up and handing it to Nephrite.

"Do you think I'll ever see them again?"

"It's hard to say. Sometimes things happen, and we have no way of understanding why. Part of me feels like this needed to happen in order for you to get on the path you need to be on" Helios explained. Nephrite glanced over at him, curious.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"You were born with a very special purpose, and I believe now is the time for you to fulfill that."

"What is it?" Nephrite asked, hoping for something more than Helios' usual cryptic answers.

"I can't fully explain that to you yet" Helios said reluctantly. Nephrite sighed, and Helios continued to speak. "Come with me. There's somebody I want you to meet." The man stood up and Nephrite followed, and soon the two arrived at his secret hideout.

"Your hideout is in a different place than before" Nephrite giggled.

"I change it often to lessen my chances of being found" Helios explained. The two continued walking, and up ahead, Nephrite noticed a boy about his age sitting by the stream.

"There's someone else here?" Nephrite asked curiously, looking up at Helios as they walked.

"Yes" he said with a smile. When they reached the stream, the other boy stood up and smiled shyly. "I'd like you to meet Jadeite."

"Hi, I'm Nephrite. It's nice to meet you" Nephrite said shyly. Jadeite nodded, and the two boys shook hands.

"So…did you lose your parents too?" Jadeite asked hesitantly. Nephrite looked at the ground and blinked back tears, sucking in a breath before making eye contact with Jadeite again.

"Yeah, I did. They left last night without telling me. I don't know where they are, or if they're coming back. What about yours?"

"Well…my dad…he joined the dark army when I was a baby, and he came back and made my mom go with him."

"I'm so sorry" Nephrite said softly. "That's horrible."

"It's okay. I'm going to save them someday. I'm going to be their hero" Jadeite said, smiling confidently. Hearing him say that caused Nephrite's heart to skip a beat, and he thought once again about his mother's book.

"Me too. I'm going to save my parents too" Nephrite said. The two boys continued talking, when a sudden cry in the distance caused them to fall silent.

"What was that?" Nephrite wondered aloud. Helios stood up and turned to walk away.

"You two stay here" he instructed, then he was gone.

"What do you think happened?" Jadeite asked quietly.

"I don't know" Nephrite answered, and the two of them waited.

After following the sound for a while, Helios came upon a house. Inside, a young boy was kneeling on the floor next to a woman who wasn't breathing. Helios noticed her clothes were stained with blood, and next to her on the ground was a knife, also stained with blood. He calmly walked over to the boy and knelt beside him. The boy looked up and when he saw Helios, his eyes grew wide with fear and he began to back away.

"You don't have to be afraid" Helios said calmly. "Just tell me what happened here."

"I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."


	13. Orphan Boy

**A/N I'm soooooo sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been dealing with some pretty personal stuff the past couple of weeks, including losing my Grandma, and I didn't have the will to write. I finally found it again, because I knew she would want me to continue. This one's for you, Mimi. 3 Hope you guys like this one!**

-Part Three: Zoisite-

Orphan Boy

Helios looked into the boy's eyes, his own eyes displaying neither compassion nor anger. The boy trembled slightly, his nerves shaken by the strange man's silence. After a few moments, Helios finally spoke.

"Please, tell me what happened" he said softly. The boy exhaled shakily and began to speak, and Helios leaned in closer so he could hear him.

"She…she was going to hurt me" he said, sniffling.

"Why would she do that?" Helios asked. The boy looked down at the ground and shook his head, then looked back up at Helios.

"She said I deserved it…" he said quietly. Helios sat silently for a moment, then stood up, extending his hand toward the small boy.

"Come with me" he said gently.

"N-No" the boy said fearfully, refusing to move. Helios pulled his hand back, then sighed.

"I promise, I'm not going to hurt you" he said, trying to assure the boy that he was in no danger. The boy looked over at the woman on the floor, who had completely stopped breathing, then quickly looked away. He looked up at Helios once more, nodding hesitantly.

"Okay, I'll go with you" he said, reaching his hand out toward Helios. Helios reached out and grasped the boy's small hand, gasping and nearly pulling his hand back after their hands touched. Nephrite and Jadeite poked their heads inside the doorway to see if everything was okay, and when they saw the look on Helios' face, they grew concerned.

"Are you okay, Helios?" Jadeite asked worriedly. Helios nodded slightly and managed a half smile, brushing off whatever it was he felt a moment ago.

"I'm fine" he said softly, turning to the orphaned boy once more. "Are you ready?" he asked. The boy looked up at him, confused.

"Should I bring anything with me?" he asked. Helios smiled softly and shook his head.

"No, just come as you are. That will be just fine" he said, and for the first time since they met, the boy smiled. Moments later, the four of them were off. Helios led the group, and the three boys followed behind him. Jadeite and the boy were chatting happily, but Nephrite trudged on behind them, lost in his thoughts. There was something oddly familiar about this boy, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Noticing the silence, Jadeite turned to look at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, startling Nephrite.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Just thinking…" Nephrite answered, his voice trailing off slightly. He continued to wonder where he had seen this boy before, and his pondering would come to an end sooner than he expected. The newest member to the group turned to look at him, brushing his dirty blonde bangs from his face. When their eyes met, Nephrite and the other boy each gasped and turned their eyes away from one another. After an awkward silence, the new boy spoke.

"I know you" he said quietly. "We met by the river a while ago." Suddenly, the memory came back to Nephrite, clear as day. As he recalled their brief meeting, a smile crept across his face.

"Yeah, I remember that" he said, chuckling softly. "You know, I thought about you a lot after that."

"You did?" the boy asked, smiling shyly. Nephrite nodded, then continued to speak.

"Yeah, I did. I wondered if you were okay. You seemed pretty scared…what happened that day?" The boy lowered his gaze to the ground and blinked back tears, trying not to let Nephrite see.

"I'd rather not get into that, if that's okay" the boy said softly, still looking away from Nephrite. Nephrite smiled, though the other boy could not see, and sighed.

"I understand. If you ever want to talk about it, you can talk to me, okay?" The boy turned his head toward Nephrite and managed a small smile, nodding slightly.

"Thanks" he said softly. The conversation faded soon after that, and the quartet continued walking in complete silence. Finally, Jadeite spoke, somewhat startling everyone.

"My name's Jadeite, by the way, and this is Nephrite. What's your name?" The boy looked at the two of them, a saddened expression on his face.

"This might sound silly, but I don't think I have one. Not unless you count 'wretched boy', 'nuisance', or other things like that" he said, and the other two boys looked at him with as much sympathy as they could muster.

"I'm sorry" Nephrite said quietly, and the other boy cracked a smile, chuckling slightly.

"Don't worry about it. Maybe someday I'll figure out who I am." Helios, who had been silently listening to their conversation, turned his head slightly and smiled contentedly.

"Hey, Helios, where are you taking us?" Jadeite asked suddenly.

"Just follow me" Helios instructed, evading the boy's question. After walking for some time, the group arrived at their destination. By this time, the sun was already starting to set and darkness was falling over the landscape. The three boys looked around them, then looked at Helios, confused.

"Where are we?" Nephrite asked. Helios stayed quiet, so Jadeite tried asking once more.

"Come on, Helios. Why won't you tell us?" The trees around them rustled, and Helios looked at the boys, signaling for them to be quiet.

"Stay here" he whispered. "I'll be right back." With that, he disappeared, and the children were left alone.

Just on the other side of the trees, Helios found himself face to face with two people he didn't expect to see.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The pair standing before him said nothing. Though there were hoods nearly covering their faces, Helios knew exactly who they were. "Answer me" he insisted. One of the shadowed figures stepped forward and lowered their hood, but still, not a word was said. The second figure stepped forward and revealed themselves. Helios looked at them and furrowed his brow, growing frustrated.

"Helios?" the second figure, a man, asked. The cloaked person next to him, a woman, lowered her eyes to the ground.

"What are you two doing out here?" Helios asked again.

"We're hiding" the woman said shakily. "Metalia's army is trying to find us, and if they do, they'll…" her voice trailed off as she spoke, and soon she stopped speaking altogether.

"Say no more" Helios said, his voice sounding calmer than it had when he first encountered them. The man smiled, relieved that they had been reunited with an old friend, even if the reunion was brief.

"It's good to see you" the man said, and Helios echoed his sentiment.

"Same to you." The woman managed a half smile, and finally spoke.

"Is our son alright?" she asked. Helios nodded in response, and the pair seemed to relax upon hearing this.

"He's just fine. Well, I should say he's fine now." Helios said, his voice laced with a bitter tone. "What were you two thinking, leaving him like that?" The pair turned their eyes from Helios, and a feeling of guilt washed over them.

"Can we see him?" the man asked. Helios shook his head and scowled.

"I don't think that's a good idea. It might be better if he went on thinking you were dead" Helios sighed, and the pair reluctantly agreed. "I need to get back to them before they come looking for me, so I think it would be best if you two left." The pair turned to walk away, but before they left, the woman turned to look at Helios once more. After a brief moment of silence, she spoke.

"Helios, can you do me a favor?" Helios nodded, answering her softly.

"Of course." The woman sucked in a breath and looked him in the eyes, blinking back tears as she continued to speak.

"Someday, will you tell him that we love him?" Helios said nothing, but only nodded in response. The man stepped forward and extended his hand out to Helios.

"Will you give this to him too?" the man asked. Helios reached his hand out and the man placed something inside it, closing his fingers around it.

The pair said goodbye to him once more, and Helios watched as they disappeared into the darkness. After they left, Helios opened his hand and saw a small blue stone glimmering in the moonlight. He carefully placed the small stone in his pocket and smiled. He turned to walk away, shortly arriving back at the place he had left the three boys.

"Is everything okay?" Jadeite asked, noticing Helios' mood had changed. Helios forced a smile, then sat on the ground next to them.

"I think so" he said quietly, reaching into his pocket and closing his fingers around the stone again.


	14. Second Chance

Second Chance

 _Six years ago_

 _"_ _Mama, please! I'm begging you. You have to help me!" A young girl, aged sixteen at the most, knelt at her mother's feet, her anguished tears staining the hem of her skirt._

 _"_ _You got yourself into this mess, so handle it yourself. It's not my fault that boyfriend of yours ran off and left you like this" the woman snapped coldly, turning her head away from her daughter. After a heavy silence, the woman slowly turned her gaze back to the girl and spoke once more. "Does he know?" she asked softly._

 _"_ _N-No, he doesn't." A scowl appeared on the woman's face as she thought about what she would say next._

 _"_ _Will he be back before the baby is born?"_

 _"_ _I don't think so" the girl said softly, her eyes filled with sadness as she looked up at her mother, silently praying for a solution to her current situation._

 _"_ _Then, here's what you will do." The girl's expression turned hopeful as she waited for her mother to continue speaking._

 _"_ _Yes? What is it?" the girl asked._

 _"_ _Get rid of it."_

 _"_ _What?! I can't do that" the girl argued, and her mother scowled once again._

 _"_ _You'll do as I say" she snapped._

 _"_ _Fine" the girl muttered. "But, I have to ask. When you say 'get rid of it', what do you mean, exactly? You're not suggesting killing it, are you?"_

 _"_ _Absolutely not! What kind of monster do you think I am?" the woman scoffed, and the girl breathed a sigh of relief. She looked down at her tiny belly and placed her hand over it gently, smiling to herself._

 _"_ _Don't worry. You'll be taken care of. I promise" she whispered._

 _The next eight months seemed to go by in a flash, and after several hours of suffering, a baby boy was born. As the young girl held him close, her mother sat in the corner of the room, her arms folded across her chest._

 _"_ _Do you want to see him, mama?" the girl asked softly. The woman turned her head and frowned, then looked away._

 _"_ _I did" she grumbled. The girl shrugged off her mother's behavior and cuddled her son close, forgetting about the harsh reality they would be faced with. Being oblivious to it was just fine for her, even if it were to only last a moment. After several moments of silence, the girl's mother spoke again,_

 _"_ _It's a shame you had a boy. If it had been a girl, I would have considered letting you keep it" she sighed. Finally having enough of her mother's spiteful attitude, the girl carefully handed the baby over to the nurse, then shakily climbed out of the bed. She walked over to the woman and stood in front of her, her body still trembling from what it had just gone through._

 _"_ _You know, mother, just because daddy left you, it doesn't mean all men are evil. I would never raise my son to act that way. I'm sorry, but he's my son, so he comes first. If that means I lose you, then so be it."_

 _"_ _What are you saying?" the woman hissed._

 _"_ _I'm keeping my baby" the girl said firmly. "If you don't like it, then I'm leaving. I can take care of him myself."_

 _"_ _You can't possibly handle this on your own" the woman scoffed._

 _"_ _Watch me" the girl hissed, then turned to retrieve her son. She then proceeded to leave the house, never once thinking of looking back._

 _A little over a month passed, and the young girl, Catherine, and her infant son seemed to be getting along fine. However, amidst the joy she felt from being with him, there were several moments of hopelessness. In addition to tending to her son's needs, Catherine was also taking on several odd jobs to try to make ends meet. The reality of her situation was beginning to wear her down, and she was starting to think her mother might be right. Could she really do this on her own? In the days that followed, the solution to her problem would make itself known to her._

 _A few days later, Catherine was sitting outside by the stream, finishing up her elderly neighbor's laundry. As she laid the damp clothes out to dry, she could hear footsteps behind her. She slowly turned, fearful of what she would see. Her child slept peacefully next to her, completely unaware of what was going on._

 _"_ _You don't have to be afraid" a gentle voice said, cutting through the silence. Catherine turned more and found herself face to face with Helios._

 _"_ _I know who you are" she murmured. Helios tilted his head and smirked at her, and she immediately broke her gaze on him and looked at the ground, blushing._

 _"_ _Is something the matter?" he asked, chuckling slightly._

 _"_ _I'm sorry" Catherine said shyly. "It was rude of me to address you like that, Sir Helios." Helios stepped forward and knelt in the grass next to her, smiling, and she instantly felt at ease._

 _"_ _It's alright. Honestly, you're not the first person to react that way around me. I don't make myself known that often."_

 _"_ _I guess that's true" Catherine giggled. "I think this is the first time I've ever actually seen you." Helios nodded in response and glanced over at the sleeping baby, then the look on his face turned serious._

 _"_ _I can sense you've been struggling, Catherine. That's why I've come here today."_

 _"_ _Do you think you can help me?" Catherine asked, her eyes filled with worry. She then bit her lip slightly, regretting asking Helios something so forwardly._

 _"_ _What is it you need help with?" he asked, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear it from her._

 _"_ _I want a better life for my son" Catherine whispered, tearing up slightly. Helios smiled softly and nodded, staying silent for a moment. After a few minutes, he looked at Catherine and his next words would change everything._

 _"_ _Let me take care of him." Catherine looked at Helios, her eyes wide with amazement and shock._

 _"_ _What?"_

 _"_ _I will take him. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to keep him, but I can promise you that he will get the second chance you want him to have."_

 _"_ _You would do that for me? And for him?"_

 _"_ _Of course" Helios said, a small smile appearing on his face. "What's his name?" he asked. Catherine looked at him sadly, then looked at the ground._

 _"_ _He doesn't have one yet" she said softly. "I couldn't think of a name that suited him." Helios' gaze grew intense as he looked at her, and a scowl appeared on his face._

 _"_ _That's not true" he said softly, but firmly. "You didn't name him because you knew you weren't going to keep him, and you didn't want to get attached. Is that right?" Catherine avoided eye contact with Helios and nodded, frowning slightly._

 _"_ _Am I wrong for doing that?" she whispered._

 _"_ _Of course not" Helios assured her. "To be honest, I'm glad you didn't name him."_

 _"_ _You are?" Catherine asked, confused. Helios nodded, grinning slightly._

 _"_ _Yes. I'm glad you didn't name him, because I know what his name should be" Helios said softly, reaching into his pocket. He pulled something out and placed it in Catherine's hand, closing her fingers around it. She opened her hand and looked into it, seeing a beautiful blue gem sparkling in the sunlight._

 _"_ _This is a Zoisite stone, isn't it?" Catherine asked. Helios nodded and began to explain its meaning._

 _"_ _That's correct. Zoisite stones symbolize purity and healing. Your son is going to grow up to be a gentle, kind man." Hearing this, Catherine smiled contentedly._

 _"_ _I knew it" she whispered to herself, then looked at Helios again. "Helios, do you know what the future holds for him?"_

 _"_ _Why are you thinking so far ahead?" Helios asked, chuckling._

 _"_ _I just want to know if he'll be happy…" Catherine said as her eyes began to fill with tears. Helios closed his eyes for a brief moment then opened them and looked at Catherine. He smiled, and assured her that he would be. She then kissed her baby for the last time, and could not contain her tears any longer as she watched Helios and Zoisite walk away…_

"What are you thinking about, Catherine?" a man's voice asked, snapping the young woman out of her daydream. Catherine brushed her blonde hair out of her face and turned to the man next to her, smiling.

"It's nothing" she murmured. "I'm just happy our son is getting the life he deserves."


	15. The Three Musketeers

The Three Musketeers

 **A/N I'm sorry it took so long to update. My computer is currently out of commission so I had to write this on my phone. Hope you're all still with me! This chapter is shorter than the others, so I apologize for that as well.**

As the three boys and Helios enjoyed one another's company, the darkness faded into daylight and they finally saw where they were. Helios had taken them into the mountains, figuring that was the safest place for them. He stood up and turned to the young boys, noticing that Zoisite had fallen asleep. Jadeite and Nephrite were talking quietly amongst themselves. Helios cleared his throat and the pair stopped talking and turned to look at him.

"I'm going to go look for something for you three to eat" he explained. "If Zoi- er, our new friend wakes up while I'm gone, tell him I'll be back soon." Jadeite and Nephrite nodded and resumed their conversation as Helios turned to walk into the nearby woods. As he strode through the trees, he became lost in thought.

 _How could I have been so careless? I almost let it slip that I know who that boy is. If they found out, and they found out what I did, there's no way they would trust me._ Helios exhaled sharply and tried to regain his composure. After he calmed down, he decided to head back to the makeshift campsite he and the boys had set up the night before. When he arrived, he noticed that Zoisite was awake, chatting happily with the other two. When they heard him arrive, they turned and smiled at him. Their joy at his return quickly faded to confusion as they realized Helios was empty handed.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Jadeite asked, furrowing his brow. Helios stared back at the boy and thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered.

"I'm sorry" he said quietly, bowing his head slightly. "I guess I got distracted." Hearing this surprised Jadeite, as Helios was normally not the type to forget things so easily.

"That's okay…" Jadeite replied, feeling that something was off. He shrugged the feeling off and smiled at Helios, then joined Nephrite and Zoisite while Helios decided to try looking for food again. He walked back into the trees, and as he searched, a rustling noise in the trees startled him. He carefully turned, seeing what looked like the bottom of a woman's skirt disappearing into the grove of trees. Before he could catch a glimpse of the mysterious woman, she was gone. He noticed something sitting underneath a tree. As he came closer, he could see it was a basket filled with fruits, bread and fish. A vibrant purple ribbon was tied around the handle. Helios picked up the basket and headed back to Jadeite and the others. When he returned carrying the basket, the boys eyes widened.

"Where did you get that?" Jadeite asked. Helios shrugged, explaining that he just found it. Nephrite wrinkled his nose and thought for a moment, then his eyes drifted to the purple ribbon on the basket's handle.

"I know that ribbon" he murmured, and Jadeite turned to look at him.

"You do? Whose is it?" he asked curiously. Nephrite shook his head and sighed, turning his body away from the other boy.

"It's not important….it belonged to someone I'll probably never see again…" Nephrite said quietly. Jadeite reached over and playfully poked his friend, chuckling.

"Was it a girlfriend?" he teased, and Nephrite shook his head.

"No, it wasn't like that" he huffed, blushing. "Girls are weird. I don't think I'd want a girlfriend" he chuckled, and Jadeite nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, you're right." He fell silent as his mind drifted back to the night he and his mother had the same conversation, and he smiled. "But I think if I ever had one, she'd be really pretty, smart, and strong. Maybe even stronger than me."

"Yeah, me too" Nephrite said with a smile. "Hey, do you believe in, you know, myths and stuff like that?" he asked, turning toward Jadeite. The blonde boy thought for a moment then shrugged.

"I don't know, maybe" he said. "My mom told me a story One time about a princess on Mars who could control fire. I think that would be kind of cool if it were true."

"Yeah, mine told me about a princess on Jupiter" Nephrite said. "She sounds like she'd be sort of scary if she were real, but maybe not" he said with a shrug. The two boys turned to Zoisite, who had not spoken in a while. "What about you?" they asked. He smiled shyly and shrugged

"When I was a baby, someone told me a story about a princess on Mercury. I don't remember much about it, or who it was that told me" he said sadly. "I wish I knew where I came from" he murmured. The other ywo boys looked at Zoisite, their eyes filled with empathy.

"Hey, don't worry about that, okay?" Nephrite said with a grin. "We're your family now." Jadeite nodded in agreement, and Zoisite's eyes widened.

"Do you really mean it? " he asked, his eyes brimming with tears. The two older boys smiled at him.

"Of course we do" Jadeite said softly, patting Zoisite on the shoulder. "We all know what it's like to feel alone, and there's no way we're going to let you feel that way anymore." Zoisite smiled back at the two boys and tried to hold back the gears that stung the backs of his eyes.

"Don't ever leave me" Zoisite pleased, his voice nearly a whisper.

"We never will. You're stuck with us" Nephrite assured the young boy, pulling him into a hug. Jadeite joined in the embrace, and Helios watched their unteraction, smiling to himself.


	16. Purification and Healing

**A/N Sorry I haven't updated this in forever. Hope this was worth the wait!**

Purification and Healing

Helios continued to watch the three boys, wondering if he should confess that he knew where Zoicite came from. Nephrite noticed his uneasiness and approached him, a concerned look on his face.

"Is something wrong?" he asked. Helios shook his head, trying not to worry the young boy too much.

"No, nothing's wrong at all. I'm just thinking." Nephrite didn't press the issue, and walked back over to Jadeite and Zoicite. Helios watched to make sure the three boys were distracted before slipping away to take a walk and clear his head. A sudden voice behind him startled him.

"Are you going to tell him the truth?" Helios jumped and turned around to find another acquaintance of his standing there.

"KunIte? What are you doing out here?"

"Looking for all of you" he answered, his voice serious. He was the fourth, and oldest, of the future kings advisors.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, worried. Kunzite's eyes flickered intensely and he waited a moment before speaking again.

"Zoicite's mother…I mean, guardian, if you could even call her that, was murdered. No one has been able to find you since it happened, so they've labeled you the prime suspect." Helios listened carefully to Kunzite's words, suddenly feeling nauseous.

"But I…I didn't.." he stuttered. Kunzite put a hand up to silence him, smiling calmly at him.

"I know you didn't. However, I can't tell them that. You'll have to. I can stay with the other three and keep them safe in your absence." Helios nodded and thanked him, then turned to leave. Before he was too far away, he turned to face Kunzite.

"Thank you." As soon as he was gone, Kunzite headed to where the three boys were. Hearing the bushes rustle, Nephrite turned, speaking before he saw who was there.

"It's about time you came back. We were getting worried" he said, suddenly falling silent at the sight of this new person. "You're not Helios…" Kunzite shook his head and turned his gaze to Zoicite, who was trying to sneak away unnoticed.

"Zoicite" he said quietly. The boy stopped and turned to look at him, his face pale and his eyes filled with both fear and amazement.

"Kunzite…how did you find me?" he asked, his voice quivering.

"It was easy. When you vanished, I knew you had to be with Helios. The same goes for all of you" he said, his eyes falling on each boy as he addressed them. "Jadeite…Nephrite…I know what happened to you both as well." The two boys looked at one another, then back at Kunzite, confused.

"You do?" they asked in unison. Kunzite nodded, smiling slightly.

"Helios told me. I know everything about the three of you, and I'm glad to finally meet you." Jadeite looked at him, confused.

"You seemed to already know Zoicite…why is that?" Kunzite looked at the ground briefly, then to Zoicite, then back at Jadeite and Nephrite.

"Gelios never told you, did he?" he asked.

"Told us what?" Nephrite wondered. Kunzite took a breath, then began to explain.

"Zoicite's mother had him at a very young age. Her mother pushed her to give him up, but she refused and ran away from home to prove she could raise him on her own. She soon learned that it was too much for her to handle, and begged Helios to take care of him. He did for a while, then…" he paused, and Zoicite urged him to go on.

"Tell us…I want to know."

"I don't know if you do…" Kunzite insisted. Zoicite begged him to tell, so he decided to do just that.

"Helios…placed you in the care of your grandmother." The look of horror on the boy's face was too much for Kunzite to bear, so he stopped talking.

"That awful woman…wS my grandmother? I can't believe this..." Without another word, he turned and walked off. Nephrite tried to stop him, but Kunzite kept him back.

"Let him have some time alone" he said quietly.

"What else happened?" Jadeite asked. "There has to be more than that."

"There is. Zoicite's grandmother was extremely abusive toward him, which led him to run away from home frequently. That's how I met him. I sort of took him under my wing and made sure he was safe when he did that."

"So, that's how you know him…" Jadeite murmured. Kunzite nodded. Nephrite looked at both of them, like he had just remembered something.

"I saw him by the river once…we talked for a while, then a woman called for him and I never saw him again, until now. I remember he seemed terrified of her…now I know why. If I had thought about it, I would have made him stay with me."

"Don't blame yourself" Kunzite assured him. "He's safe now." Nephrite nodded and smiled slightly. After a while, Zoicite rejoined the rest of them.

"Thank you for telling me, Kunzite. I'm sorry I got upset."

"Don't be. It's a lot to take in, but we'll help you through it" Jadeite assured him, smiling.

"That's what friends…I mean, brothers, are for" Nephrite agreed. Zoicite gave him a slight nod and smiled, looking around.

"Where did Helios go?"

"He had something he needed to take care of" Kunzite explained. "I'm sure he'll turn up again soon." Seconds later, a white and blue butterfly fluttered past them, giving the four of them a sense of peace.


End file.
